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THE 



Texarkana Gateway 



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AND THE 



SOUTHiA£EST. 





ISSUED JOINTLY 


BY ^ 


The 


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1 


The 


RON Mountain ! 


1 


Cotton Belt 


Route, 


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1 


Route, 


The 


Texas & Pacific 
and the 


Railway, 


International & Great Northern Railroad. 


• 


1896 


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PRESS OP 






WOODWARD & TIERNAN PRINTING CO., 




ST I 


OUiS. 





'X 



COPVRKiHT, 1896, 



Thk Woodward ^Si Tikknan rKiNiiNi; Co., 
St. I.ouis, Mo. 



X"*!^ 



Tf)e Iron^oantain Roate 



I 



*^° TEXARKANA, 

Tlie Gatewau to Texas. 



Ti I EXARKANA was the gateway to Texas when the travel -stained 
wagon of the mover was the only available means of trans- 
portation for the seeker after a new home in the great 
Southwest. 

The weary traveler, after days of slow and tortuous progression 
through the tangled forests of Arkansas, having crossed the turgid 
waters of the Red River knew the limits of that State would soon be 
reached, and at Texarkana on the border line he would pass into the 
Eldorado of his hopes and dreams. The jaded teams, the patient oxen, 
even the forlorn dogs which trotted dejectedly beneath the wagons, took 
on new life when that portal to the promised land appeared in sight. 

A straight and shining pathway of steel has obliterated the blazed 
roadway through the forest ; luxurious palaces on wheels have taken the 
place of the rude canvas -covered wagons, festooned with tattered quilts 
and the homely odds and ends of the poor emigrants ; the locomotive 
has su])erseded the stumbling horse and the stubborn nude; but the goal 
of all is still the same, Texarkana, the Gateway to Texas. And to-day 
the traveler, rumbling across the great iron bridge which spans the Red 
River less than one short hour's ride from Texarkana, can look down 
upon its lurid current, through which the poor mover of other days poled 
his dilapidated outfit, and congratulate himself that he postponed his jour- 
ney to the Lone Star State until such a time as the Great Iron Mountain 
Route had placed at his disposal all the conveniences of modern travel, 
which convert what was once a toilsome trip of days and weeks into a 
few short hours of pleasure. 

Texarkana is the Gateway to Texas, and the St. Louis Iron Moun- 
tain & Southern Railway is the pathway to Texarkana. This road, 
popularly known as the Iron Mountain Route, is a ])art of the Missouri 
Pacific Railway System, having termini at St. Louis, Cairo, Memphis, 
Kansas City, Omaha, Denver, Pueblo, and reaching through its connec- 
tions all Northern, Eastern and Western territory. 



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Starting originally from St. lyouis, it was pushed mile by mile 
through the virgin forest; it climbed the hills by easy grades, and threw 
across the streams and rivers its arches of stone and steel and iron. 

The rough log causeway became the firm and rigid road-bed; 
the treacherous rope ferries were replaced by massive bridges ; the 
"gee," and "whoa," and " haw" of the teamster were drowned in the 
shriek of the locomotive and the whiz and whir of the express train. 

Year by year the work of the first engineers has been supplemented 
by the never-ending improvements which are continually being made in 
roadway, track and bridges, and which modern railway management 
deems necessary in order to furnish the traveling ])ublic with the facilities 
for quiet, safe and comfortable transportation demanded by the ])resent 
generation of intelligent travelers. 

That this never-ending endeavor to maintain the highest standard 
of excellence has been successful, is evidenced by the fact that the 
United States Government has selected the Iron Mountain Route as the 
one most worthy of operating its fastest mail service to the Southwest, 
and every morning a train of postal cars under special contract with the 
Post Office Department leaves St. Louis laden with mail to be delivered 
to connecting lines at Texarkana, the Gateway to Texas, for distribution 
at all points in that State and in Mexico. 

This Fast Government Mail Train carries sleeping and reclining 
chair cars accommodating a limited number of ])assengers, and furnishes 
the quickest service to the Southwest. 

Leaving St. Louis from the magnificent Union Station, the largest 
and finest in the world, and in which all lines centering at that point 
deliver their passengers to the Iron Mountain Route without transfer, 
the traveler is whirled through the southern portion of the city. 

After the limits have been, passed, the track follows the winding 
banks of the Missis.sippi River, with an occasional glimp.se of steamers 
stemming the swiftly flowing current, or a fleet of barges under the 
convoy of a laboring stern -wlieeler, and on the other shore the low-lying 
fields of Illinois stretch away into the distance. 

Eight miles from St. Louis the line passes Jefferson Barracks, 
established long before the war, and the low stables, the neat white 
(luarters and the vineclad dwellings of the officers, with the well kept 
lawns and terraces, have more the appearance of a peaceful village than 
the home of a cavalry regiment and a military post of the government. 

After leaving the Barracks, the road crosses the Meramec River, a 
picturesque stream flowing between high bluffs; and ])assing in quick 
succession Sulphur Springs and Kimswick, famous for their mineral 
springs of great medicinal value, De Soto, forty -two miles from St. 
Louis, is reached. 

De Soto, an old French settlement, is now a busy, thriving town 
of nearly 5,000 inhabitants, the extensive machine shops of the Iron 
Mountain Route, located at that point, furnishing employment or indi- 
rectly contributing to the support of, nearly the entire j^opulation. 

From here on the route is extremely picturesque; winding between 
hills and mountains, plunging over streams and opening up vistas of rare 
beauty, the line passes through Mineral Point. Irondale, Bismarck, Iron 
Mountain, Pilot Knob and Ironton. If the nomenclature of the various 
towns did not suggest the nature of the country-, the dark red patches of 



soil interspersed between the wooded slopes — a symphony in green and 
red — would betray the mineral characteristics of the section. Iron fur- 
naces, active or abandoned, ore dumps and all the accessories of a 
mining region, add a weird interest to the rugged scenery. Large quan- 
tities of iron and lead are produced and shipped from the places above 
enumerated. 

Pilot Knob, whose peculiarly shaped eminence rises abruptly from 
amidst the surrounding hills, was the scene of a desperate and bloody 
battle during the late war, and one might well imagine the ensanguined - 
hued sides were still red with the blood stains of that conflict. 

In abrupt contrast to the bold grandeur of the pass between the Pilot 
Knob and the Shepherd's Mountain, through which the track winds, is 
the Valley of Arcadia, a name well bestowed by some poetic visitor on 
the charming prospect which unfolds before the gaze after leaving Pilot 
Knob. 

Beyond Arcadia the line passes through the heart of the Ozarks, and 
at Tiptop, about 96 miles from St. Louis, the view is unsurpassed. On 
all sides rugged mountain tops lift their hoary heads, while below, to the 
northward, stretches the peaceful Arcadia Valley, with its streams like 
winding threads of silver, interlacing the dark green foliage of its groves. 

At Poplar Bluff, 166 miles from St. Louis, passengers on the Fast 
Govermnent Mail Train alight for breakfast, and at this point the Iron 
Mountain Route from Cairo joins the main line, the trains connecting 
with the morning trains from St. Louis, forming the shortest and most 
direct route from Cairo to Texarkana and all points in Texas. 

At Moark, 186 miles from St. Louis, the dividing line between the 
States of Missouri and Arkansas is crossed, and this fact has bestowed 
on the little town the strange name which it bears, the same being a 
combination of the abbreviations used for describing those two great States. 

Entering Arkansas the road crosses the Black River, famous for its 
fishing, and furnishing fine ducking grounds to the hunters who resort 
there during the season. 

At Knobel, 198 miles from St. Louis, the St. Louis-Memphis Branch 
of the Iron Mountain Route leaves the main line, running in a south- 
easterly direction through the counties of Greene, Craighead, Poinsett, 
Cross and Crittenden. Through sleeping and reclining chair cars are 
operated between St. Louis and Memphis and furnish a delightful and 
comfortable journey. 

After leaving Knobel the road.passes through Walnut Ridge, Hoxie 
and Newport. 

At Walnut Ridge many of the trains sto]) for meals, and the cuisine 
of this famous eating house is celebrated amongst all travelers to and 
from the Southwest. 

At Newport the White River is crossed, 262 miles from St. Louis, 
and the thriving town is an important shipping point, the river at all 
seasons of the year being open to navigation to that point. 

Twenty -six miles from Newport, at Bald Knob, the main line is 
joined by the Iron Mountain Route from Memphis, the latter being the 
western terminus of the through lines from Kentucky, Tennessee, Mis- 
sissippi, Alabama, Georgia and the Carolinas. 

Here passengers from those States, holding tickets to the Southwest 
via the Iron Mountain Route and Texarkana are delivered to that Com-" 



pany, and as the long train leaves the metropolis of Tennessee and heads 
for the low wooded banks of the Arkansas, the dark, swollen torrent of 
the Mississippi is seen far below from the massive steel structure which 
spans the river at that point. 

This bridge, one of the marvels of the engineer's art, was opened 
with great ceremony not many years ago, and will endure for all time as 
the highway for travel from the Southeastern to the Southwestern States. 

After the. bridge has been crossed, the track passes through the dark 
bottom lands of the Mississippi for a distance of about forty miles. On 
each side the dense forests of cypress, oak, and sycamore stretch in 
solitude, their branches draped with festoons of Spanish moss, as though 
all nature was mourning in silent grandeur; but after Wynne has been left 
behind, the sunlight once more plaj'S on the clearings of the farmer, and 
the industrious whir of the saw is heard from the many mills which line 
each side of the road. 

At Fair Oaks, sixty miles from Memphis, the junction with the 
Cotton Belt Route is reached, and the trains of that Company, which are 
operated over the rails of the Iron Mountain Route, here glide on to their 
own tracks and continue their flight to Texarkana and thence into 
Texas, reaching T3'ler, Corsicana, Waco, Sherman, Greenville, and Fort 
Worth. 

When Bald Knob, ninety -one miles from Memphis and 288 miles 
from St. Louis, is reached, the trains are consolidated with the through 
trains on the main line, the one leaving Memphis in the morning, con- 
necting with the Fast Government Mail, and the one leaving Memphis 
in the evening, being joined to the day express leaving St. Louis in the 
morning. Through sleeping and reclining chair cars are operated from 
Memphis to Texas points via Texarkana. 

From Bald Knob to Little Rock the road passes through Judsonia, 
Kensettand Beebe, traversing a section noted for its excellence as a fruit- 
producing region, and large quantities of berries and peaches are shipped 
from those points to the Northern markets weeks before the home crop 
is sufficiently rijjened for use. 

Three hundred and forty -five miles from St. Louis and the spires of 
Little Rock appear in sight, and after rumbling across the Arkansas 
River, with a view of the city, its river front, its church steeples and its 
attractive homes on the bluffs, the traveler steps off the train to enjoy a 
hearty and delicious meal with mine host of the Little Rock dining hall. 

Little Rock, the capital of Arkansas, is a handsome and well- 
constructed city, with well -paved streets, excellent hotels and beautiful 
homes. It has been called the City of Roses, and well does it deser\-e 
the name. The verdant lawns, which surround almost ever>' house in 
the residence portion, are veritable flower gardens, and are kept bright 
with fragrant blossoms from the early roses in the springtime to the many - 
colored chrysanthemums in the fall. 

The •i')ublic buildings are imjiosing, and the old State House with its 
classic columns, stained by the winds and rains of many years, is a 
venerable structure, interesting in every detail. 

The Government has reserved a large tract of land on the northern 
bank of the Arkansas River for a military post, which will be unsur- 
passed by any in the country for size, accessibility and beauty of 
surroundings. 




1, Mountain Drive. 

2, Wfsl Mt. from Happy Hollow. 

3, Bath House Row. 

4, New linlrance to Government Mt 

5, Government Hospital. 



ViKws Around Hot Springs, Ark. 



At I^ittle Rock, the Little Rock and Arkansas Valley Division and 
the Houston Central, Arkansas and Northern Division of the Iron 
Mountain Route leave the main line and, running in a southeasterly 
direction, reaches Arkansas City, Ark., Monroe and Alexandria, 
Ivouisiana, and at the latter point makes direct connections for New 
Orleans. 

From the West the Kansas and Arkansas Valley Division and the 
Little Rock and Fort Smith Division join the main line at Little Rock, 
and the trains from Kansas City throug^h Coffeyville and Fort Smith 
connect with the trains from St. Louis, forming a through line from 
Colorado, Nebraska, and Kansas to Texarkana and all points in the 
State of Texas, with sleeping car service and luxurious e(iui]:)ment 
between Kansas City and Little Rock. 

From Little Rock to Malvern the line passes through a country 
without any particularly striking features. Forest and clearings succeed 
one another, and the occasional saw mill is seen busily converting the 
woodland monarchs into prosaic and uninteresting planks. 

At Malvern, 388 miles from St. Louis, the Hot Springs Railway 
branches off to that resort, twenty -two miles from the junction over a 
picturesque route, the track following for a considerable distance the 
windings of the Guli:)ha, a crystal stream, now sleepily resting in mirror- 
like pools in the shadows of a wooded glen, only to sparkle and ripple 
with new life a little further on as it dashes over rocks and boulders on 
its way to the Ouachita. 

Hot Springs is truly nature's greatest sanitarium. Long before the 
white man in his search for new conquests pushed across the Mississippi 
into the unknown West, the rude, untutored savage had learned the 
healing characteristics of its waters. They called the place "No-wa- 
san-lou," or Breath of Healing, and tradition sa^'S the name was 
bestowed for the reason that the Great Spirit blew his all -healing breath 
on the waters and from thenceforth they boiled and bubbled with health- 
giving properties. 

Be it as it ma>-, the fact remains that the Indians were wont to 
congregate around the springs long before their di.scover^'^ by De Soto, 
and then, as now, no doubt the hardy braves and dusky maids, without 
the need of healing, resorted to the more pleasant task of flirting, 
showing that the medicinal cjualities of the waters were subordinate to 
the social advantages resulting from the inspiration of proiMuquity and 
a beautiful environment. 

The waters of Hot Springs gush from seventy -one s])rings, and 
range in temperature from ninety-six to one hundred and fifty -seven 
degrees Fahrenheit. The therapeutic qualities of the waters are well 
known and their chemical analysis has no place in this description, as a 
mere tabulation of the proportions of carbonate of lime, silica, magnesia, 
chloride of sodium, etc., convey but little to the mind of the average 
reader, but the fact i-emains that the waters are good to drink, good to 
bathe in, and good to be around, if for no other reason, on account of 
the host of charming and interesting people which they attract at all 
seasons of the j-ear. 

The City of Hot Springs is a ])lace of many beautiful homes and 
magnificent hotels. The latter are large, intensely modern and sumptu- 
ously appointed. The Eastman, Park and Arlington are the largest and 

9 



newest, aiul the service and cuisine provided rival the best hotels in the 
East. 

In addition to these extensive hostelries, many smaller but none the 
less comfortable hotels and boarding houses abound. 

The social life of Hot Springs is more than attractive, it is fascin- 
ating, and is not confined to the winter and early spring months, 
commonly known as the season. The truth is, the season lasts for the 
entire year, and the climate at all periods is delightful. 

The mean average temperature for the year is 72 degrees, while the 
average for the month of July is 84, and August 83. This is accounted 
for by the altitude, about 1,000 feet above the sea level, not excessively 
high and for that reason the more desirable, and by the fact that the 
resort is situated in a narrow valley, the high pine -clad mountains on 
either side tempering the winds of winter and casting cooling shadows 
in the summer. The nights are always delightful. 

The Springs are thoroughly cosmopolitan, their wonderful qualities 
being known in all countries possessing a medical literature, and the 
visitor encounters on the hotel piazzas people from all climes, as well as 
celebrities from all parts of the United States. This, with the charming 
unconventionalities which render the many attractions provided for 
visitors accessible to all, renders the social life more enjoyable than at 
any other resort of a similar character. 

Stop-over at Malvern for the purpose of visiting the Springs is 
allowed within the limits on all through tickets reading via the Iron 
Mountain Route, and is an additional inducement for all travelers to the 
Southwest to select that line. 

After leaving Malvern the road traverses what was once a section of 
great importance to the lumbering industry, but the busy axe of the 
woodman has cut great swathes in the forest, and although a number of 
mills line each side of the track, the timber interests are not as extensive 
as formerly and the inhabitants now devote their attention to the cultiva- 
tion of fruits and berries, to which the soil and climate are wonderfully 
adapted. 

The Ouachita River is crossed at Arkadelphia, and a charming 
glimpse of that thriving town is obtained as the train stops for a minute 
at the station. 

Bej^ond the Ouachita the line penetrates a forest of pines, passing 
through Gurdon, Prescott and Hope. The occasional clearings seen 
through the car windows are given over to the production of cotton, and 
the darkies during the picking season working amid the snowy balls, 
makes a sight unique and picturesque beyond description. 

At Fulton, 471 miles from St. Louis, the line crosses the Red River, 
and the traveler, looking down on its waters impregnated with the red soil 
through which it flows, does not wonder whence its name was derived. 
Here, tied up against the bank, can occasionally be seen the forlorn - 
looking little steamboats, which alone can ascend the river to this point, 
although before the supremacy of the railroads, the river -carrying trade 
from Fulton was of considerable importance and the principal means for 
the shiiiment of the large cotton cro]) raised in the Red River bottoms. 

Nineteen miles, from the Red River and 490 miles from St. Louis 
the southwestern terminus of the Iron Mountain Route is reached at 
Texarkana. 

10 



This town derives its name from the fact that it is located on the 
border line between the States of Arkansas and Texas, the line dividing- 
the town in almost equal parts, each with a separate municipal govern- 
ment, and the mayor of Texarkana, Texas, standing in his own bailiwick, 
can spy the mayor of Texarkana, Arkansas, gazing out onto the world 
from his, and crossing the street can localize that historic saying of the 
famous North Carolina Governor, and after remedying the evil can 
recross the street to his own municipality before his constituents can 
discover that he has been outside the confines of his own great State. 

At Texarkana, the Iron Mountain Route occu])ies jointly with the 
Texas & Pacific Railway a handsome and commodious Union Station, 
equipped with all modern improvements and furnishing a tempting 
dining room service under the most efficient management. 

Texarkana is truly the gateway to all sections of Texas. Passengers 
destined to Paris, Sherman, Dallas, Ft. Worth, El Paso, or any point on 
the Texas & Pacific Railway, or to Houston, Galveston, Austin, San 
Antonio, Laredo, or any point on the International & Great Northern 
Railway, are delivered to the Texas & Pacific Railway either for trans- 
portation via that line, or redelivery to the International & Great 
Northern Railway at Longview in the magnificent palace sleeping cars 
in which they left St. Louis. 

Passengers to Tyler, Corsicana, Waco, Greenville, Sherman, Port 
Worth, or any point on or via the Cotton Belt Route are delivered to 
that line at Texarkana for transportation to their various destinations. 

In addition to the advantages possessed by Texarkana as a gateway 
and distributing ])oint for business to all sections of Texas, it is also a 
junction on the highway formed by the Iron Mountain Route and the 
Texas and Pacific Railway to California. This is the true Southern 
route, and the most enjoyable one when the snows choke the mountain 
passes and the blizzards rage around the mountain tops crossed by the 
more Northern lines. 

The line through Texarkana formed by the Iron Mountain Route, 
the Texas & Pacific Railway and the International & Great Northern 
Railway through Laredo is the shortest and most direct route from the 
North to Mexico in connection with the Mexican National Railroad, or 
through San Antonio and Eagle Pass in connection with the Mexican 
International Railroad. 

We have now followed the Iron Mountain Route from its starting 
point at St. Louis, along the banks of the swiftly -flowing Mississii)pi, 
through the beautiful Arcadia Valley, over the crest of the Ozarks, 
through the forests of Arkansas, from Cairo, from Memphis, past Little 
Rock, Hot Springs and the many other points of interest, to its terminus 
at Texarkana, the Gateway, where its connecting and affiliated lines 
take up the task of safely, soundly and comfortably delivering its pass- 
engers to all points in the Great Southwest. 

We cannot, however, in describing the many points of excellence 
possessed by the Iron Mountain Route, neglect a brief description of its 
train ser\nce and eciuipment, the latter being of the most modern con- 
struction and consisting of Pullman Palace Sleepers, elegant reclining 
Chair Cars and new and comfortable day coaches. This equipment is 
all handsomely upholstered and fitted with the latest safety appliances. 

The train service from St. Louis embraces three fast trains a day : 

11 



The Fast Mail, leaving at an earl}^ houi in the morning, carries through 
sleeping cars to Dallas, Fort Worth, El Paso, connecting at Texarkana 
with through trains to all points in Texas. 

The Day Express, leaving St. Louis in the morning after arrival of 
trains from the North and East. 

The Texas Special, leaving St. Louis after the arrival of the night 
trains from the North and East, carries through sleeping cars to 
Houston, Galveston, Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio, and 
Laredo. 

From Memphis two dail}^ trains are placed at the disposal of the 
passenger to Texas, both leaving after the arrival of trains from the East. 

The morning train from Memphis carries free reclining chair cars 
and through coaches, and connects at Bald Knob with through sleeping 
cars on train from St. Louis. 

The train leaving Memphis at night carries Pullman buffet sleeping 
cars and free reclining chair cars. 

Passengers destined to Texas from the Northern, Middle and Eastern 
States can purchase tickets via the Iron Mountain Route from the Agents 
of any of the great trunk lines which have their western termini at St. 
Louis, and at that point will find an elegantly appointed train in the 
Union Station waiting to whirl them over the next stage of their journey. 

Passengers from the States south of the Ohio River can purchase 
tickets to Texas from the Agents of the direct lines to Memphis, 
asking that they read from that point via the Iron Mountain Route and 
Texarkana. 

From the West and Northwest, passengers en route to Texas can 
purchase tickets from any Agent of the lines centering in Denver, Pueblo 
or Kansas City, asking that they be routed from those points via the 
Missouri Pacific Railway and the Iron Mountain Route, through Coffey - 
ville, Wagoner, Fort Smith and Little Rock to Texarkana. 

This routing transports the passenger through the fertile fields of 
vSouthern Kansas, the beautiful prairies of the Indian Territory and 
through the valley of the Arkansas River from Fort Smith to Little 
Rock. 

This valley is dotted with productive farms, cotton, corn, and the 
cereals yielding abundantly, while the orchards contribute largely to the 
welfare of the communitj^ 

Through car service is provided from Kansas City to Little Rock, 
and the operations of this line are on a par with the high standard of 
excellence maintained on the other portions of the system. 

The advantages of the route to Texas through the Texarkana 
gatewa}'^ are manifold. From Texarkana radiating lines extend to all 
l)oints in Texas and to Mexico and the Pacific Coast. 

To Texarkana the Iron Mountain Route furnishes the shortest line 
and the most perfect service, receiving business from the North and 
East at St. Louis, from the Southeast at Memphis, and from the West at 
Fort Smith. 

Thus we see the traveler starting from the Golden Gate or the banks 
of the Oregon, from the iron-bound coast of Maine, or the sunny hills 
of Massachusetts, from the great cities of the East or the industrious 
centers of the Middle States, from the Great Lakes on the North or the 
broad plantations of the South, can reach Texas via the Iron Mountain 

12 



Route and Texarkana, saving time, saving distance and gaining in all 
those things which make traveling pleasant and enjoyable 

From all directions, from all sections, for all classes the Iron Mount- 
ain Route is the highway to Texarkana, and Texarkana is the Gateway 
to Texas. 




MAP OF MISSOURI PACIFIC RAILWAY SYSTEM 

AND 

IRON MOUNTAIN ROUTE TO TEXAS. 



13 



VALUABLE ASSISTANCE, 



The following Traveling Passenger Agents of the MISSOURI PACIFIC RAIL- 
WAY COMPANY and IRON MOUNTAIN ROUTE are constantly looking after 
the interests of the Line, and will call upon parties contemplating a trip and cheer- 
fully furnish them lowest rates of Fare, Maps, Guides, Time Tables, etc. 

Or they may be addressed as follows: 

Atchison, Kan C. E. Styi.es, Passenger and Ticket Agent. 

Austin, Tex J. C. Lewis, Traveling Passenger Agent. 

Boston, Mass Louis W. Ewald, New England Pass. Agt., 300 Washington St. 

Chattanooga, Tenn...A. A. Gai,i<agher, Southern Pass. Agent, 103 Read House. 
Chicago, 111 BisSELiv Wilson, District Passenger Agent, 111 Adams St. 

T. C. KiMBHR, Traveling Pass, and Land Agt., Ill Adams St. 

Cincinnati, Ohio N. R. Warwick, District Passenger Agent, 317 Vine St. 

Denver, Colo C. A. Tripp, Gen'l Western Freight and Pass'r Agent, 

Cor. 17th and Stout Sts. 

E. E. Hoffman, Trav. Pass. Agt., Cor. 17th and vStout Sts. 

Hot Springs, Ark R. M. Smith, Ticket Agent. 

Indianapolis, Ind Coke Alexander, District Pass. Agent, 7 Jackson Place. 

Jaikson, Mich H. D. Armstrong, Traveling Passenger Agent. 

Kansas City, Mo J. H. Lyon, Western Passenger Agent, 800 Main St. 

E. S. JeweTT, Passenger and Ticket Agent, 800 Main St. 

Benton Quick, Pass, and Asst. Ticket Agt., 1032 Union Ave. 
Leavenworth, Kan...J. N. Joerger, Passenger and Ticket Agent. 
Lincoln, Neb F. D. Cornell, City Passenger and Ticket Agent, 1201 O vSt. 

R. P. R. Millar, Freight and Ticket Agent. 

Little Rock, Ark August Sundholm, Passenger and Ticket Agent. 

Louisville, Ky R. T. G. Matthews, Southern Trav. Agt., 304 West Main St. 

Memphis, Tenn H. D. Wilson, Passenger and Ticket Agent, 309 Main vSt. 

I. E. Rehlander, Traveling Passenger Agent, 309 Main St. 
New York City W. E. HoyT, General Eastern Pass. Agent, 391 Broadway. 

J. P. McCann, Traveling Passenger Agent, 391 Broadway. 
Omaha, Neb J. O. Phillippi, Ass't General Freight and Passenger Agent. 

Thos. F. Godfrey, Passenger and Ticket Agent, 

N. E. Cor. 13th and Farnain Sts. 

W. C. Barnes, Traveling Passenger Agent, 

N. E. Cor. 13th and Farnani Sts. 

Pittsburgh, Penn S. H. Thompson. Central Passenger Agent, 1119 Liberty St. 

Pueblo. Colo Wm. Hogg, Commercial Freight and Ticket Agent. 

Salt Lake City, Utah..!!. B. Kooser, Com. Frt. and Pass. Agt., 21 Morlan Block. 
San Francisco, Cal...T. F. Fitzgerald, Pac. Coast Pass. Agt., 121 California St. 

5t. Joseph, Mo F. P. Wade, Passenger and Ticket Agent. 

St. Louis, Mo B. H. Payne, Ass't General Passenger and Ticket Agent. 

H. F. Berkley, City Ticket Agent, 

N. W. Cor. Broadwa}- and Olive vSt. 

M. Griffin, City Passenger Agent, 

N. W. Cor. Broadway and Olive St. 

H. LiHOU, Ticket Agent, Union vStation. 

W. H. Morton, Passenger Agent, Room 402, Union Station. 
Wichita, Kan E. E. Bleckley, Pass, and Ticket Agent, 114 N. Main St. 



C. G. WARNER, W. B. DODDRIDGE, 

Vice-President. Gcncyal Manager. 

H. C. TOWNSEND, 

General Passenger and Ticket Agent. 

ST. LOUIS, MO. 
14 



TEXAS. 




N 1680 La Salle, the great French explorer, penetrated the immense 
southwestern country of which Texas is a j^art. Of the Spanish, 
Alonzo de Leon made the first attempt to settle Texas, and in 1691 
a governor and troops were sent here by Spain. La Salle called 
the country Louisiana, for Louis XIV. The Spaniards named it New 
Philipines, in honor of Philip V. San Antonio, the oldest European 
settlement in Texas, was founded in 1693; Goliad and Nacogdoches in 
1717. The foundation of the Alamo was laid in 1744, and was 
denominated a mission. Prior to 1820 Texas was ruled by governors. 
In 1823 Stephen F. Austin arrived with colonists, when the Mexican 
States of Coahuila and Texas constituted one government, with their 
capital at Saltillo. Complaints of failure, by these, to the Mexican 
government finally eventuated in the revolution of 1835. On March 2, 
1836, Texas declared itself a free and independent government, adopting 
a constitution on the seventeenth of the same month. The first 
President was David G. Burnet. General Sam Houston was made 
commander-in-chief of the Texas forces, and after terrible fights and 
struggles, the heroic band, only one-third in numbers of their enemies, 
gained the decisive battle of San Jacinto on April 21, 1836. The 
annexation of Texas to the United States took place in 1845. The vState 
seceded from the Union February 1, 1861. In 1870 it was re -admitted. 
Texas, by much the largest State in the United States, contains 
274,356 square miles, exclusive of bays and lakes. It extends from the 
twenty-sixth parallel of north latitude to thirty -sixth and one-half north 
latitude, and from the sixteenth to the thirteenth meridian of longitude 
west from Washington. The more clearly to illustrate its size, it is 
observed that it is a little more than equal in area to Maine, New 
Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New 
York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Ohio and 
Indiana combined. Compared with European countries — than which it 
is larger than any except Russia — it is equal to England, Ireland, 
Scotland, Wales, Holland, Belgium, Denmark, Switzerland, Greece and 
Turkey combined. To illustrate by another mode: Texas, from 
eastern to western boundary line, measures a distance from St. Louis to 
Philadelphia; from north to south, bearing southeasterly, it measures a 
distance equal to that from its northern boundary to Duluth, on Lake 
Superior, about 120 miles north of St. Paul, Minnesota. This would 
•yive to each man, w^oman and child in the United States to-day three 
acres of land. If as densely populated as New York, it would contain 
28,000,000 inhabitants; or if as populous as France, it would contain 
45,000,000; or if as populous as Japan, it would contain 65,000,000; 
or if as populous as Belgium, it would contain 133,000,000. With a 

15 



sea-coast line of five hundred miles, it has many localities for admirable 
harbors, and which will some day serve as the outlets for the enormous 
trade that must flow to a market from Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, and 
other rapidly developing States of the West, into Mexico and the 
Central and South American countries, and for the entry ports for the 
return commodities worth annually many hundred millions of dollars. 

Deep water on the coast of Texas is now receiving merited attention. 
At Galveston a depth of 24 feet has already been attained. The channel 
is still rapidly deepening. Four other points on the Coast, viz: Aransas 
Pass, Corpus Christi, Sabine Pass, and Velasco (mouth of the Brazos 
river), are engaged in channel improvement, and will, doubtless, in the 
near future be deep water ports. A new and even more prosperous era in 
the history of Texas will then be inaugurated, and the State will present 
an almost unlimited field for safe and profitable investment in number- 
less and varied enterprises and occupations. 

The inhabitants of Texas have come from nearly every State in the 
Union, and many from across the ocean direct. For these reasons 
societj^ is cosmopolitan in its character, with the utmost political and 
religious freedom existing. The percentage of gain for the thirty -eight 
States was 39.53. The population and taxable values of Texas for five 
decades are as follows: In 1850, population 212,592, taxable value 
$133,322,115; 1860, population 604,215, taxable value $164,338,133; 
1870, population 818,579, taxable value $170,473,738; 1880, population 
1,591,749, taxable value $318,960,736; 1890, population 2,300,000, 
taxable value $729,175,567. There has been a large increase since 1890, 
and these figures do not include the value of the public domain, school 
lands, etc. The immigration to the State during the past few years has 
been enormous. Many people are coming to Texas, and are locating on 
lands more productive, much cheaper, and where a man could work 365 
days in the year. The eyes of the investor and home -seeker are now 
turned wistfully toward Texas, and many well informed men assert that 
the population of Texas will almost double in the next five years. There 
is no doubt that while the State's material advancement has been 
wonderful, yet it is still in its infancy, and the possibilities and resources 
awaiting develo]mient are beyond computation, description or pro]ihecy. 

There is no State or countr}^ where the climate is preferable within 
the same latitude and longitude, and few where it is as equable and 
reliable. Mr. Theo. B. Comstock, F. G. S. A., of the State Geological 
Survey, says in an article on the industrial growth of Texas, which 
appeared in the Age of Steel: 

"In conclusion, let me remark that by reason of her vast territory, 
embracing the whole range of geological strata of the United States, from 
Archaean to recent, there is literally no mineral product of importance 
which is not contained in workable quantities within the boundaries of 
Texas. There are many deposits of value not found elsewhere on the 
continent, and some which do not occur in such favorable situations 
anywhere else in the world. Within her own borders this State has 
abundant supplies of all the raw materials needed in every art and trade ; 
she possesses a variety of soil and climate UTisurpassed in any equivalent 
area, offering the greatest possible advantages for agriculture, horticult- 
ure, and all branches of husbandry; her grazing lands can not be 
matched for extent, capacity and ease of obtaining water supply; full 



religious, political and social liberty is guaranteed by her laws and 
rigidly enforced by her government, and every honest, energetic man or 
woman, of whatever creed or occupation, is wholly welcome and as 
much honored as in any portion of this broad union of States. What are 
needed, and what are ra])idly coming, are men — men of brains, men of 
muscle, men of heart, with consorts worthy of them. Such need not 
fear to come with growing children, for the educational advantages in 
Texas — all over Texas, as I know from personal observation — are not 
equalled in even some of the oldest commonwealths. In short, if there 
be anything the settler wants and he can not find it in Texas by proper 
in(|uiry, it must be something he can not get elsewhere in a growing 
country, or else it is what it would not be to his interest to acquire. 
The farmer, the artisan, the mechanic, the miner, the merchant, the 
manufacturer, the banker, lawyer, doctor, priest, poet and philosopher, 
engineer, architect, and much abused plumber (drummer omitted, 
because he has preceded you all long ago), teacher, musician, painter 
and sculptor, and every helpful worker of any kind — all maj^ find 
employment to-daj', both in old and new Texas. If this be boom, make 
the most of it. Come and see!" 

(^onbcn0c^ Unfonnation Hbout ^cxae. 

From the following brief description and the condensed statement of 
its wonderful resources, anyone seeking a new home can decide whether 
Texas presents greater advantages than any other point in the United 
States : 

.\rea of Texas, in acres 175,587,840 

Area of Texas, in square miles 274,35 

Asylum Lands in Tkxas — 

Blind Asylum, in acres 100,000 

Deaf and Dumb Asylum, in acres .... 100,000 

Lunatic Asvlum, in acres 100,000 

Orphans' Asyl""!. ill acres 100,000 400,000 

Mineral Lands, in acres 20,000,000 

Pine and Cypress Lands, in acres 26,000,000 

Public School Lands, controlled by Counties, in acres 4,237,596 
Public School Lands, controlled by the State, in acres 40,000,000 
State University Lands, in acres 2,221,400 

Educational Facilities — The permanent free school fund consists 
of Texas State, county and railroad interest -bearing bonds and Texas 
school land notes, and cash $11,680,502 ; in addition to this there is land 
set apart now remaining unsold amounting to 29,546,491 acres, which, 
at the very low valuation of $2 per acre, would realize $59,092,982 ; this 
added to the securities already on hand would make a grand total of 
$70,773,484. Such an endowment for edticational pun:)oses is not pos- 
sessed by any other State in the Union. There is an Agricultural and 
Mechanical College at College Station, near Bryan, on the Houston & 
Texas Central Railroad, and educational and eleemosynan,^ institutions 
at the following points: At Austin are located the Blind Institute, the 
Deaf and Dumb Asylum and the State Lunatic Asylum ; a branch of the 
State Lunatic Asylum at Terrell; at Corsicana, the Orphans' Asylum; 
at Gatesville, a House of Correction and Reform. In almost every 

17 



county in the State, asylums are provided for the destitute, and in no 
State in the Union is there so little professional begging. 

Agricultural Products — The wonderful range of production of 
the State of Texas is phenomenal, and agricultural products of almost 
every clime can be cultivated successfully. In the southern portion of the 
State, oranges, lemons, figs, cotton, sugar, rice and many tropical fruits 
can be produced with a profit. In the central and northern portions of the 
State, apples, peaches, pears, grapes, plums, cherries, barley, oats, rye, 
tobacco, wheat, corn, sweet and Irish potatoes, and vegetables of every 
description are successfully and profitably cultivated. Cotton and corn 
are also extensively cultivated in the southern portion of the State, the 
counties of Fort Bend, Matagorda, Wharton and Colorado being the 
largest cotton producing counties in the State. Over three hundred 
varieties of grass have been found growing within the State, and many 
of the varieties grow the season through, and stock often does well 
without the necessity of feeding during the entire winter. 

Artesian Wells — At one time it was thought that portions of the 
State could not be successfully populated, for the reason that the water 
supply, particularly for domestic purposes, was not of a quality to insure 
healthfulness. It has been found, however, that artesian wells could be 
sunk and the very finest water obtained, and at the present time artesian 
wells are found in almost every county where there was complaint of the 
water supply formerly, and at some points the entire supply used for 
cities has been obtained from artesian wells. The whole State seems to 
be underlaid with water, possessing various mineral qualities, which are 
used for medicinal purposes. The depth at which water is found in 
artesian wells varies. In the counties of Dimmit, Marion and Reeves it 
varies from 20 to 50 feet, while in other portions of the State it is neces- 
sary to go from 500 to 1,000 feet. It has been found by scientific 
investigation and statistics that constant flowing artesian wells and the 
cultivation of the dry plains bring moisture and frequent and refreshing 
rains, and the territory of Texas formerly supposed to be arid, is rapidly 
becoming as valuable as other portions of the State. 

Apiaries — The culture of the bee has been found very profitable, 
and numbers are now engaged in that business. The wide and expan- 
sive prairies are gardens of beautiful wild flowers, and in the southern 
part of the State many flowers bloom almost the entire year, the mild 
climate gives to the busy bee, as well as to man, a season for work much 
longer in extent than the cold climate of the more northern States. A 
Texas Apiarist took during the honey season from 5 colonies of the 
Langstroth hives 500 pounds of extracted honey, and 200 pounds of comb 
honey. Another took from 28 colonies of black bees 6,000 pounds 
which at 12i cents per pound would make $750; and it is generally con- 
sidered that one person, who understands the business, can easily attend 
to 100 colonies with a little help at the time of extracting. 

Building Stones — Texas is well supplied in almost every portion 
of the State with most excellent building stone, and granite of various 
tints and colors is found in many counties. The red and ])ink variety, 
of which the State Capitol is built, is found in Burnet County in 
unlimited quantities. This particular granite is susceptible of the 
highest polish, and weighs 164 pounds to the cubic foot, and by actual 
test has .stood a strain of 12,000 pounds to the square inch. Variegated 

18 



and gray granite is found in various portions of the State ; and Scotland, 
Massachusetts, Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire cannot ])roduce 
granite of more beautiful and finer quality than is found in Texas. 
Marble of the finest quality is also found, the cr^'stallized limestone, the 
coralline, a shell variet}^ the mahogany colored, the orange red and the 
stellar or blue crystalline are unexcelled in fineness of grade or shade of 
tint. The marble is found in various portions of the State, l)Ut the 
counties of Burnet, Travis and San Saba produce the best qualitj^ 
Sandstone and limestone exist in miles of acreage, extending from 
Lamar, Fannin, Grayson and Parker on the north, to Travis and other 
counties in the southwestern portion of the State. Extensive quarries 
are found in Parker and Travis Counties. Many large buildings in the 
])rincipal cities of the State are made of this sandstone, including some 
of the finest court houses and other public buildings throughout the 
State. A ridge of limestone of excellent quality is noticed cropping out 
at various points from the north to the southwestern part of the State. 
A clear stone which is found in layers, and which is highl}' fossiliferous, 
when first quarried is so soft that it can be cut with a knife or sawed in 
blocks with an ordinary hand -saw, but by exposure it hardens and 
becomes very durable. Many of the beautiful buildings in Austin and 
San Antonio are made of this stone. 

Cement — Bexar and Travis Counties produce the best cement found 
in the State. 

Climate — For the greater portion of the 3'ear the climate in Texas 
is mild, the temperature ranging from 32 to 96, but during the spring, 
fall and part of the winter it usually stands from 50 to 70. This mild 
winter weather admits of outdoor work almost every day in the j'ear. 
The Norther (a cold wind) moves the temperature down at a rapid rate, 
and makes overcoats and fires a necessity, but it is also very bracing to 
the people, and is the primary cause of the salubrity of the climate. 
The summer in all parts of Texas is made refreshing by breezes from 
the Gulf. Sunstrokes are rare. Any building having a southern 
exposure is always cool, and on the Gulf and in the prairie regions 
covering is needed almost every night in the 5'ear. 

Coal — Deposits of coal are found in almost every portion of Texas, 
and consequently the domestic coal keeps the price of fuel down to a 
reasonable limit. Coal is found in Atascosa, Bastrop, Bell, Blanco, Bowie, 
Brown, Clay, Coleman, Comanche, Dimmit, Eastland, El Pa.so, Erath, 
Milam, Grayson, Hamilton, Hopkins, Jack, Jones, Kendall, Leon, Mon- 
tague, Palo Pinto, San Saba, Stephens, Taylor, Williamson, Wise, Wood, 
Zapata Counties, and new developments are being continually made. 

Copper— Has been found in Archer, Bell, Blanco, Brown, Clay, 
Eastland, Gillespie, Llano, Mason, Montague, Presidio, San Saba, 
Stephens and Wichita Counties, and it is believed that when the mines 
are properly developed they will prove of untold value. 

Coi'TON Factories — The manufacture of cotton goods is steadily 
increasing in Texas, and has been found satisfactory and profitable, the 
raw material being furnished much cheaper than it can be shipped eastward 
and manufactured. There are already factories located in Austin, Cuero, 
Dallas, Galveston, Houston, Huntsville, Terrell, Tyler and Waco. 

Fire Brick and Pottery Clay — The.se clays are found in 
abundance, overlaying sandstone in the coal m-^asures in various parts of 

ig 



the State, and are of the best quality. Some grades are said to resist 
the heat of 2,000 degrees. At Kosse, Henderson, Tyler and other places 
pottery clay is found of superior quality and great abundance. 

Fish — The catching of fish for shipment, both salted and fresh, is 
being largely engaged in, and fish of many kinds are found in abundance 
in the Gulf and various streams and lakes. 

Foundries — There are numerous foundries in operation in Texas, 
and they have been found very remunerative. Foundries are located at 
Austin, Brenham, Calvert, Corsicana, Dallas, Fort Worth, Galveston, 
Houston, Jefferson, Longview, Marshall, Overton, Palestine, Queen 
City, San Antonio, Waco. 

Game — Texas possesses some of the finest hunting grounds now 
remaining in the United States. Sportsmen still find antelope, deer, 
squirrels, rabbits, coons, opossums, wild turkeys, prairie chickens, quails, 
geese, brants and ducks plentiful. 

Gold — It is claimed that gold has been found in Bell, Burnet, El 
Paso, lylano. Mason, Montague, Presidio, San Saba, Uvalde and Wil- 
liamson Counties, but so far it has not been produced in pa}nng 
quantities. The sanguine think, however, that in time, when the mines 
are properly developed, they will prove Texas an Eldorado. 

Guano — Texas does not have to send to Florida or the Carolinas for 
fertilizers; excellent guano is found in Travis, Uvalde and Williamson 
Counties. The Bat caves in Williamson County contain guano nearly 
30 feet deep, and in almost inexhaustible quantities. 

Gypsum — Is found in El Paso, Llano, Nolan, Wilbarger and other 
Counties. 

Hired Help — There is no place in the United States where persons 
seeking work can find better opportunities for employment than in 
Texas, or receive better wages, but idlers and tramps are not tolerated. 

Iron Ore — In many portions of Texas iron ore has been found in 
considerable quantities, but in some portions it has been found sufficient 
to induce the erection of foundries for its reduction. The various 
counties in which it is found are Anderson, Archer, Bastrop, Blanco, 
Bowie, Brown, Burnet, Caldwell, Camp, Cass, Cherokee, Clay, Coleman, 
Eastland, Gonzales, Gregg, Harrison, Hopkins, Kendall, Eeon, Elano, 
Marion, Mason, Montague, Montgomer}^ Morris, Nacogdoches, Rusk, 
San Augustine, San Saba, Smith, Stephens, Taylor, Upshur, Williamson 
and Wood. The abundance of iron ore and the close proximity, in 
almost ever)^ case, of coal, nuist at no distant day make Texas a great 
Iron manufacturing State. 

Kaolin — Is found in Edwards, Fayette, I^imestone and Robinson 
Counties. 

Lead — Is found in Burnet, El Paso, Gillespie, Gonzales, Presidio 
and San Saba Counties. 

Lime Kilns— The manufacture of lime is very largely engaged in 
in Bexar, Travis, Dallas and Williamson Counties. 

Linseed Oil — One very successful factory for the production of 
linseed oil has been started in Texas and is located at Weatherford. 

Mineral Waters — The discovery of mineral waters of excellent 
medicinal qualities has b-een made in almost ever}^ section of the State, 
and those already developed are located in Anderson Count}^ (Elkhart 
Spring), Bowie (Dalby Springs), Brazoria, Caldwell, Cass (Hughes' 

20 



Spring), Cherokee, DeWitt, Erath, Grimes, Hopkins (Sulphur Spring), 
Hardin (Sour Lake), Hood (Thorp Spring), Johnson, Kendall, Lam- 
pasas (Hancock and Hanna Si^'ings) , Leon, Live Oak, Madison, Alorris, 
Navarro, Palo Pinto (Mineral Wells), Polk, Robertson (Franklin Spring 
and Wootan Wells), Rusk, Stonewall, Trinity, Tyler, Victoria, Wash- 
ington and Wilson (Southerland Springs). 

Natural Gas has been discovered in Palo Pinto County and in 
other parts of the State. 

Petroleum has been found in Anderson, lirown, Jefferson, Monta- 
gue, Nacogdoches, San Augustine, Stephens and Williamson Counties. 

Penitentiaries — The State has penitentiaries located at Huntsville 
and Rusk. The total number of prisoners at present is about 3,000. 

Pineries — Pine of the finest quality, much of it known as the 
"Long Leaf Pine" is found in Anderson, Angelina, Bastrop, Bowie, 
Camp, Cherokee, Franklin, Gregg, Grimes, Hardin, Harris, Harrison, 
Henderson, Ho])kins, Houston, Jasper, Jefferson, Liberty, Madison, 
Marion, Montgomery, Morris, Nacogdoches, Newton, Orange, Panola, 
Polk, Red River, Rusk, Sabine, San Jacinto, Shelby, Smith, Titus, 
Trinity, Tyler, Van Zandt, Walker, Waller and Wood Counties. 

Public Buildings — The State of Texas has spent millions of dollars 
in erecting public buildings, and all of them are mammoth structures, 
substantially built, and beautiful in architectural design. At Austin are 
located the new State Capitol, University of Texas, Land Office, 
Governor's Mansion, Insane Asylum, Blind Asylum, Deaf and Dumb 
Asylum. At San Antonio, Insane Asylum and the U. S. Government 
Post, "Fort Sam Houston," which is the second largest in the United 
States. At Huntsville the Sam Houston State Normal School and the 
Penitentiary. At Rusk a branch of the Penitentiary. At College 
Station the Agricultural and Mechanical College. At Corsicana the 
Orphans' Asylum, At Gatesville the Reformatory. At Prairie View a 
Normal School for colored people. 

Railroads — Texas is well supplied with railroad facilities, and they 
penetrate the State in all directions. In 1870 Texas had only 200 miles 
of railroads, and to-day she has thirty different lines, and over 10,000 
miles of railroad in operation. These various roads own and have for 
sale about 30,000,000 acres of lands in the State. 

Rainfall — In the thickly populated portions of the State drouths are 
almost unknown, and as rapidly as the other i^ortions of the State 
increase in population, and the soil is cultivated, the rainfall becomes more 
frequent and the drouths less. The sinking of artesian wells and the use 
of steam engines has a remarkable effect on the increase of the rainfall. 

Salt — Is found in Gregg, Hidalgo, Mitchell and Van Zandt Counties. 

Silver Ore — Has been found, but not, so far, in quantities justifying 
mining, in Bell, Brown, Burnet, Dimmit, El Paso, Gillespie, Gonzales, 
Jack, Llano, Mason, Menard, Montague, Presidio, San Saba, Webb and 
Williamson Counties. 

Sugar — Is produced -profitably in Brazoria, Cameron, F^ort Bend, 
Harris, Matagorda, Nueces, Victoria and Wharton Counties. 

Tobacco — Has not heretofore been cultivated to any great extent in 
Texas, but is now becoming quite an industrj^ in a portion of the State, 
particularly in Montgomery County, where it has been found that 
tobacco of the very finest quality can be produced. 

21 



MAP OF THE TEXAS & PACIFIC RAILWAY SYSTEM. 




i E VVJ( M E X n c o 






■'■^ l/<y\hic^°'' ""'■' 



ui>»7 



^.CHIHUAHUA 






clllo 




For tickets, rates, and further information than is given in the 
following- pages, call on or address any of the following representatives 
of the Texas & Pacific Railway : 

R. H. Carrington, General Agent 391 Broadway, New York. 

T. C. Frew, Commercial Agent Cincinnati, Ohio. 

T. F. Fitzgkrald, Pacific Coast Pass. Agt., 121 CauforniAvSt., vSan Francisco, Cai,. 

B. F. Darbyshire, General Agent Fvl, Paso, Tex. 

W. A. Dashiri^l, Traveling Passenger Agent Dallas, Tex. 

Coke Alexander, Passenger Agent ... 7 Jackson Place, Indianapolis, Ind. 
R. T. G. Matthews, Southern Trav. Agt., 304 West Main St., Louisville, Ky. 

S. H. Thompson, Passenger Agent 1119 Liberty St., Pittsburgh, Pa. 

A. A. Gallagher, Southern Pass. Agt., 103 Read House, Ch.a.TTanooga, Tenn. 
J. H. Word, Southeastern Passenger Agent .... 34^2 Wall St., Atlanta, Ga. 
N. R. Warwick, District Passenger Agent . . . 317 Vine St., Cincinnati, Ohio. 

H. D. AR^^STRONG, Traveling Passenger Agent Jackson, Mich. 

A. S. Graham, Passenger and Ticket Agent, 632 Canal St., New Orleans, La. 
J. H. Myers, City Passenger Agent 632 Canal St., New Orleans, La. 



L. S. THORNE, 

Third Vice-Pres. and Gen'l Manager, 



GASTON MESLIER, 



Gen'l Pass'r and Ticket Agent, 



DALLAS, TEX. 

22 



XLbc TLcxae S, pacific IRailwav^ 

WITH eastern termini at Texarkana, Shreveport and New Orleans, 
the Texas & Pacific Railway runs in a westerly direction 
through the northern part of Texas, to El Paso, connecting at 
that point with the 
Southern Pacific 
Railway to the 
Pacific Coast, and 
with the Mexican 

Central . 

Railway | 

toMexico. I 
Id 

jP A R K E R jTA R 




Hastern Section Texas & 
Pacific Railway. 



It has a total mileage of 1,506 miles, '' 
1,138 of which are within the borders of the State of Texas. 

From Texarkana the distance to E^l Paso is 867 miles, almost as far 
as from St. Louis to New York, or St. Louis to Denver, and yet but a 
portion of one State is traversed, but that State is an empire within whose 

boundaries the territory of the greatest nations could / 1 

be enclosed with room to spare for many smaller | | p ^ l q i 

States. Starting from Shreveport and Texarkana, j Gordon arines^ 
the Texas and Pacific Railway runs through the fol- ! s t E P H E i^^iii 

y^JEASTLANDl \ 

\^ IeASTLAND.^'ER A T H ' 




I '<'4''' T A Y L R K<. 



'^' \ 



A./ 



Central Section Texas & Pacific Railway. 



JMI DLAN oj lowing counties of Texas: Bowie, Red River, Lamar, Fannin, 

Grayson, Denton, Cass, Marion, Harrison, Upshur, Wood, Van 

Zandt, Kaufman, Dallas, Tarrant, Parker, Palo Pinto, Erath, Stephens, 
Eastland, Callahan, Taylor, Nolan, Mitchell, Howard, Midland, Ector, 
Winkler, Martin, Loving, Pecos, Reeves, Ward and El Paso. 

r 




^ Western Section 

y^ £73 Tkxas & Pacific Railway, 



These counties, of which a detailed description is given later on, 
comprise the richest and most productive section of the State. In these 
counties all the crops indigenous to the Northern, Eastern and Middle 
States thrive abundantly. The soil, consisting of many and varied kinds, 
yields generously without the stimulus of fertilizers, and with proper 
rotation will produce for years to come in the same profusion. 

Cotton, corn and the cereals are the staple products, and melons, 
fruits and berries, to which the soil and climate seem particularly 
adapted, flourish and find a ready market in the northern cities weeks 
before the home crops ripen. 

In the eastern counties, traversed by the Texas & Pacific Railway, 
the forests furnish a field for lumbering industries, while in the far 
western counties the stockman rounds up his herds on the vast prairies 
through which the railway runs. 

But why generalize, when farther on, under the heading of each 
county all the natural and social advantages of the various sections 
described are fully dealt with. So, suffice it to say, the territory in 
Texas traversed by the Texas & Pacific Railway is one of the fairest 
that the sun shines upon, and the man may count himself lucky who 
holds among his possessions a tract therein. 

The Texas & Pacific Railway at Texarkana receives the through 
coaches and sleepers hauled to that point by the Iron Mountain Route, 
and there the passengers routed over its line via the Cotton Belt 
Route are delivered. 

From Texarkana, passengers to Fort Worth and stations west are 
given the privilege of moving either over the main line, through Marshall 
and Dallas, or over the Transcontinental Division, through Paris, Sher- 
man and Whitesboro. 

If via the main line, the route is southward through the yellow pine 
forests of Northeastern Texas, where the sawmill and the lumber pile 
alternate with the picturesque cotton patches in the clearing. 

At Marshall the line takes a westerly course through L,ongview, 
where a junction is made with the International & Great Northern Rail- 
road, via which all business to Houston, Galveston, Austin, and San 
Antonio is moved. Here, also, passengers destined to Mexico via 
Laredo or Eagle Pass leave the line. 

From Eongview to Mineola the road passes through a wooded 
country, although the busy axe is fast clearing the forests, and where 
once the mighty trees and dense underbrush covered the face of the 
country the fertile fields of the farmer are in evidence. 

After leaving Mineola the railway runs through an agricultural 
paradise, and waving fields of grain and corn and cotton meet the eye 
on every side. 

Two hundred and twenty -one miles from Texarkana and the train 
rumbles into the Texas & Pacific depot at Dallas, the metropolis of Texas. 

Thirty-two miles west of Dallas and Ft. Worth is reached; no 
longer the frontier rendezvous of the hilarious cow-puncher, but a 
handsome, well-built and prosperous city of great commercial activity. 

Passengers who elect to use the Transcontinental Division between 
Texarkana and Ft. Worth, follow the line in a westerly direction through 
the thriving towns of Clarksville, Paris, Honey Grove, Bonham and 
Bells to Sherman. These places, all shipping points for the farmers 

24 



cultivating the rich bottom lands of the Red River, are thriving commu- 
nities equipped, as are all Texas towns, with adequate social, educational 
and religious facilities. 

From Sherman, called the "Athens of the West," on account of the 
numerous schools, colleges and other institutions of learning located 
there, the line proceeds to Whilesboro and then turns al)ru]itly to the 
south, and runs to Ft. Worth through Cooke, Denton and Tarrant 
Counties, three of the richest agricultural counties in the State. 

Leaving Ft. Worth the line heads directly into the great West, 
through Weatherford, Eastland, Cisco, Baird, Abilene, Colorado to Big 
Springs, 521 miles from Texarkana. All these towns are places of 
considerable importance, and marketing and shi])ping points for the 
farmers and stock raisers in their tributary territory. 

As the train flies farther and farther in the direction of the setting 
sun, the passenger is more and more impressed with the luilimitations of 
the boundless West. He cannot but think that the vast prairies, with 
the clumps of cooling timbers scattered over their surface, are capable 
of accommodating all creation and ministering to its wants. He sees 
vast fields of wheat and corn, and yet he knows they are but a speck in the 
unoccupied lands beyond. He sees countless herds of cattle browsing 
on the rich grasses, yet they are as nothing when compared with the 
number that could be sustained, and he feels that, come who may, there 
is room for all to thrive and prosper in the State of Texas. 

After leaving Big Springs, the road passes through a sparsely settled 
country of great possibilities when the tide of immigration is directed 
thither, and the vast ranges of the cattlemen are converted into fertile 
farms and the ranches are succeeded by pojiulous towns and villages. 

At Pecos City, 654 miles from Texarkana, the Pecos Valley Rail- 
way connects wnth the Texas & Pacific Railway, and running northward 
to Eddy and Roswell, N. M., has opened u]) to settlement a section 
rich in agricultural and mineral wealth. 

From Pecos City westward, the line runs through an undeveloped 
country with small settlements until El Paso is reached. Here the Texas 
& Pacific Railway ends, and the vSouthern Pacific and the Mexican Cen- 
tral Railways receive the passengers destined to New Mexico, Old 
Mexico, Arizona and California. 

The Texas & Pacific Railway is reached from the Northern, Eastern 
and Middle States through St. Louis and the Iron Mountain Route, and 
passengers from that s^^ction should request that they be given tickets 
accordingly. 

From vSt. Louis, Pullman Buffet Sleepers are operated through to 
Dallas, Fort Worth, and VA Paso, and in connection with the Interna- 
tional & Great Northern Railroad to Houston, Galveston, Austin, San 
Antonio and Laredo and travelers can complete the journey from St. 
Louis to any of these cities without leaving their comfortable quarters in 
those luxurious homes on wheels. 

Passengers destined to Texas, Mexico or California from points 
south of the Ohio River can procure tickets via Memphis and either the 
Iron Mountain or Cotton Belt Routes to Texarkana, and thence over the 
Texas & Pacific Railway. 

Passengers from points in Mississippi. Alabama, Georgia, Florida 
and North and South Carolina, the geographical position of which 

25 



does not render the route through Memphis practical or convenient, 
have the privilege of purchasing tickets over the Texas and Pacific 
Railway either via Shreveport or New Orleans. 

If the line through Shreveport is selected, the passenger crosses 
the Mississippi River at Vicksburg, at the point where the gunboats 
dodged back and forth under a storm of shot and shell during the late 
war; is transferred through the northern portion of Louisiana, and this 
route is the shortest and quickest from Jackson, Meridian, Birmingham, 
and tributary territory. 

Passengers from the Gulf and South Atlantic States who purchase 
their tickets through New Orleans are landed in that quaint old city, 
where the habits and customs of old Creole days rub elbows with the 
push and enterprise of American progression, by the Illinois Central, 
the Queen and Crescent and the Louisville and Nashville Railways. 

This city is most interesting to the tourist or traveler from the fact 
that it is almost the only place now in the United States which supports a 
distinct mode of living foreign to American habits and customs. 

In the old French quarter the shops, the cafes, the people, the lan- 
guage are all very much the same as when Louisiana was a province of 
France and Louis XIV. the sovereign ruler. Here on the narrow 
banquettes the descendants of the old Creoles gather and chatter with an 
earnestness of expression and a wealth of gesticulation, and the queer 
overhanging balconies bloom with flowers and dark -eyed Creole beauties. 

The French market and Cathedral are never -failing points of interest, 
and the restaurants are famous for the good things cooked in the highest 
art of the "cuisine frangaise." 

New Orleans is the southeastern terminus of the Texas & Pacific 
Railway, and the line from that point runs in a northwesterly direction 
through the most populous and productive section of Louisiana to 
Shreveport. 

To the Northern traveler the route through the cane fields with the 
sugar mills, surrounded by the quarters of the plantation hands, is an 
unfamiliar but interesting sight, while the white mansions of the planters 
with their high classic columns and broad verandas, carry the mind back 
to the almost feudal dignity and independence maintained by this class 
before the war. 

As the traveler approaches Shreveport the cane field is succeeded 
b}^ the pine forest, the sugar mill by the saw mill, and the air of industry 
is made harmonious by the sound of the axe and the buzz of the saw, 
and a few miles beyond that point the State of Texas is entered — at 
Marshall, the junction with the main line is made. 

From New Orleans and Shreveport two daily trains speed westward, 
the one leaving in the evening carrying Pullman Buffet Sleepers, con- 
necting with main -line trains at Marshall, and the one leaving in the 
morning carrying Pullman Buffet Sleepers to Dallas, Ft. Worth and 
Kl Paso. 

Therefore, in conclusion, if you contemplate a trip to Texas, 
Mexico or California for health, pleasure or profit, see that your ticket 
reads over the Texas & Pacific Railway, through Texarkana, Shreveport 
or New Orleans; and if you are looking for a new home for farming, 
labor or investment, read carefully the following description of the 
counties traversed by the Texas & Pacific Railway. 

26 



JSowic (Iount\>, 'JTcxas. 



BOWIE isabeauti- 
f u 1 w o o d 1 a n <\ 
county, lying 
between Red River, - 
its northern bound- 
ary, and Sulphur Fork 
of the same stream, its 
southern boundary. 
It is the northeast- 
ernmost county of the 

State, projecting, as it does, into the southwestern 
corner of the State of Arkansas. From the valleys 
of the above named streams, the land rises in suc- 
cessive swells toward the center, forming a ridge 
or water-shed, from which all the streams in the 
county flow either south or north, with a somewhat 
easterly trend. Dense forests of oak of several 
kinds and yellow pine, equal in quality to any in 
the South, original!}^ covered over nine-tenths of 
the area of the count}'. Interspersed with the 
varieties named are every kind of timber common 
to the Southern States, except poplar and chest- 
nut, though the latter is found in other counties. 
In the Red River and Sulphur Fork bottoms, 
cypress, cedar, hickory and black wal- 
nut grow in quantity sufficient to suppl}' 
the demand for some time to come, 
though much timber has already been 
cut where it was easy of access and con- 
venient to transportation. A very large 




lumber business 
done, most of the mills, 
some 21 or more, being 
situated at Texarkana, 
at which place hard- 
woods, such as white 
oak and ash, and soft 
woods like sweet gum, 
red elm, C3'press, Cot- 
tonwood, etc., are also 
worked into material 
for the interior of build- 
ings, for furniture, etc. 
Some 5 shingle mills, 
most of them 
working cy])ress 
wood, also do a 
large business. 
Most of the rail- 
wavs in 




the arid regions of New Mex- 
ico, Arizona and Old Mexico, 
are supplied with the heavy 
heart pine tie? commonly in 
use from this region, and a 
large business is also done in 
the export of oak ties for the 
Northern railways. 

The mineral resources of 
Bowie County consist of sev- 
eral undeveloped bed.s of 
lignite, many deposits of 
potter's clay, and numer- 
ous indications of the ex- 
istence of deposits of 
iro!i ore. 

The most excel- 
lent railway facili- 
ties, affording con- 
nection with the 
treeless plains of 
Western Texas, 
Oklahoma, the In- 
dian Territory and 
New Mexico, give 
reasonable assur- 
ance that there will be a good 
market as long as there is a 
.stick of merchantable timlier 
left in the county. 

The Red River and the 
Sulphur Fork, both navigable 
streams a portion of the year, 
and their numerous tribu- 
taries, maintain the drainage 
of the county and furnish an 
ample su])ply of water for all 
purposes except water ]5ower. 
Springs of very fine, pure water are numerous 
in all parts of the county, and as a rule are 
unfailing in their supply. Wells of good water 
can be easily obtained almost any where in 
the county. The average rainfall 
is about 44 inches, and has here- 
tofore been so well distributed that 
a failure of crops through drouth 
is not on record. 





Views in Texarkana. — 1, Union Station. 
4, Post Office. 5, Pulilic Schools. 



2, City Hall. ?■. Court House. 



Mineral watersof 
utujuestioned value 
in the cure of (hs- 
pepsia. rheumatism 
and other ailments 
are found at Dalhy 
Sprintjs, Ingersoll 
Springs, Chaly- 
beate and Re d 
Springs. Ingersoll 
and Dalby Springs "" 

are noted health 
resorts. -^— . - 

The mean maxi- 
mum temperature of the county in sum- 
mer is 86 degrees, the mean maximum 
in winter, 40 degrees. Public health is 
as a rule good, with the occasional ex- 
ception of malarial attacks of a mild and 
easily controlled type, these are, how- 
ever, peculiar only to certain localities. 

About 75 per cent of the land is good for 
farming when denuded of timl)er, and the 
remainder affords good pasturage during 
nine months of the year. The soil on 
the uplands is a light, and that along 
the rivers a deep, red or black loam, the 
latter being very prodi:ctive. Peaches, 
apples, pears, strawberries, raspberries, 
figs and grapes find here a congenial 
soil and temperature. In some locali- 
ties, where there is consideraljle ferru- 
ginous matter in the soil, the fruits have 
a fine, rich flavor that can only be 
equalled in a few similarly situated 
counties. The yield per acre of the 
chief crops grown is, cotton, half a bale; 
corn, 25 bushels; wheat, 10 bushels; 
rye, 15 bushels; Irish potatoes, 100 
bushels; sweet potatoes, 300 bushels; 
molasses, 200gallons, and hay, 2tons. 

The area of the countv is 915 square 
miles, or 585,600 acres'. Of 
this area 42,279 acres, 
about 1 per cent were 
in cultivation in 1894, , 
according to the State 
Agricultural Reportof 
that year. The crops 
produced amounted to 
6,361 bales of cotton, 
250,081 bushels of corn, 
730 bushels of wheat. 




17,126 bushels of 
oats, 32,047 bushels 
of sweet potatoes, 
4,422 bushels of 
Irish potatoes, 772 
bushels of beans 
and peas, 707 tons 
of hay, 418 barrels 
of sorghum molas- 
ses, and 3,181 tons 




of cotton 

seed ; the 

whole being valued at $418,718. In 

fruits and vegetables there were 1,028 

acres, the products of which were valued 

at $19,394. 

As in nearly all counties in this part 
of Texas, stock raising is carried on in 
connection with farming only, and in 
this county the live stock is scattered 
over some 1,366 farms. The assessment 
rolls for 1894 give 4,879 horses and 
mules, valued at $170,547; 13,633 head 
of cattle, valued at $79,964; 14 jacks and 
jennets, valued at $2,045; 2,203 head of 
sheep, valued at $2,190; 830 goats, 
valued at $533, and 14,440 hogs, valued 
at $17,539. The value of all live stock 
is $272,818. 

There is much unoccu- 
pied and unimproved land . ••'^•, 
in the county that 
can be had 
at prices 





Views in 
Texarkana. 

6, Rural Scene. 

7, Residence of Mrs. 
Marks. 

8, Residence of Judge 

Estes. 



ranging from $3 to $6 per acre. Im- 
proved lands vary in price according to 
the improvements, but can generally be 
had at.|5 to #30 per acre. 

The assessed values of the county for 
1894 are given at #4,535,150, of which 
$864,940 is charged to railway property, 
1272,818 to live stock, and the remainder 
to other property belonging to individu- 
als. The population of Bowie County 
in 1890 was 20,267; it has greatly in- 
creased since then, but reliable figures 
are not at this time obtainable. The 
railway mileage of the several railways 
traversing the county is 120.35 miles. 
The Cotton Belt, or St. Louis South- 
western Railway enters the State of 
Texas at Texarkana, running in a south- 
westerly course through the county to 
Big Sandy, where it crosses the main 
line of the Texas & Pacific Railway, and 
goes on to Tyler, Corsicana, Waco and 
Gatesville, branches diverging to Green- 
ville, Sherman, Fort Worth and many 
other important cities and towns in the 
State. The Main Line and Transconti- 
nental Branch of the Texas & Pacific 
Railway traverse the county from east to 
west. The junction of the two lines is a 
few miles west of Texarkana, which is 
the eastern terminus of the Texas & 
Pacific Railway. The Texarkana & Fort 
Smith Railway has completed 50 miles 
of railway to Little River, Ark., reach- 
ing into one of the finest timber belts in 
the Southwest. Another local line runs 
from Texarkana to Sulphur Fork, a dis- 
tance of about 10 miles, and is to be ex- 
tended to Shreveport, La. 

Texarkana, situated on both sides of 
the boundary line between Arkansas and 
Texas, with a fine post office building 
erected on the State line to be used 
jointly by the post offices in both Texas 
and Arkansas, is a stirring incorporated 
dual city of about 14,000 inhabitants. It 
has two separate municipal organiza- 
tions. State Line Avenue dividing Tex- 
arkana, Ark., from Texarkana, Texas. 
The population is about evenly divided 
between the two parts of the town. It 
is the eastern gateway to Texas, the 
eastern terminus of the Texas & Pacific 
Railway, the southern terminus of the 
St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern 
Railway, and the point of entry into 



Texas of the Cotton Belt or St. Louis 
Southwestern Railway. It is a well- 
built little city with all modern con- 
veniences common to even larger jjlaces. 
It has a fine water works system, elec- 
tric light plant, telephone lines, some 5 
miles of street railway lines, gas works, 
4 daily and weekly newspapers, a large 
ice factor}-, a cotton compress, and cot- 
ton oil mill of very large capacity. There 
are 2 fire companies and fire alarm sys- 
tem. Part of the town has a good .sewer 
system. Each part of the city has a fine 
two-story brick school house and good 
hotels. The Government building and 
the railway depot are very handsome 
structures. All lines of business are well 
represented, but the predominant inter- 
est is the manufacture of lumber, ties, 
shingles, furniture and other goods made 
from wood, which is very abundant and 
within easy reach of Texarkana. There 
are also 2 large foundries and a general 
machine shop, engaged in the manu- 
facture of cane mills and other agricul- 
tural machinery, boilers, etc. Potter's 
clay is abundant close to the city, and a 
large pottery situated there does a good 
business. 

New Boston is the county seat. It is 
22 miles from Texarkana, and has about 
600 inhabitants. It has an elegant new 
court house, 1 or 2 cotton gins, 2 steam 
grist mills, a furniture factory, 2 churches, 
a public school and a weekly newspaper. 

De Kalb is a prosperous town on Red 
River and on the Texas & Pacific Rail- 
way, situated about 12 miles northwest 
of New Boston. It was settled in 1870; 
has now about 700 inhabitants, 3 churches, 
a bank, saw mill, cotton gin, flour mill, 
2 hotels and a weekly newspaper. It 
exports about 8,000 bales of cotton per 
annum, and does a large business in 
hard wood railway ties. 

Dalby Springs, a well known health 
resort, has about 100 inhabitants, and is 
situated a1)out 10 miles north of DeKalb, 
and 8 miles from Bassett's, with both of 
which places it is connected by a daily 
stage line. Dalby Springs has a hotel, 
drug store and a general store. 

Red Water, also noted for its mineral 
waters, is a village of 300 inhabitants, 
13 miles southwest of Texarkana. It 
has a saw mill and 2 general stores. 





I-AK.M ^^IM. IN ItoWIK C<HNI% 



IRc^ IRtver County, XTciae. 



THIS county is in the first tier south 
of Indian Territory, from 
which it is separated by 
Red River, and is the second 
county west of the Louisiana 
line. The Sulphur Fork 
of Red River forms its 
southern Ijoundary. It 
has an area of 1,062 
square miles, and had, 
in 1890, 21,452 inhabi- 
tants. Along Red River 
and North Sulphur 
Fork are dense bodies 
of timber, being thick- 
est along the stream, 
and thinning out toward 
the center of the county. 
Between these belts of timber lies an 
extensive undulating prairie traversed at 
intervals by small creeks, which are also 
fringed with timber dividing the great 
prairie into smaller areas. The eastern 
fourth of the county is more heavily 
timbered than the other portions, but 
even here there are small patches of 
prairie land. About one- third of the 
county is prairie land, the timbered por- 
tions being covered with pine, three or 
four varieties of oak, hickory, some wal- 
nut, boisd'arc, cedar, pecan, elm, cotton- 
wood and hackberry. Much of this tim- 
ber is large, and some 14 sawmills in the 
county transact a large business. 

The soil in the Red River bottoms is a 
rich alluvial of great depth and fertility: 
that of the woodland, between the Red 
River bottoms and the prairies, a gray 
sandy soil; that of the prairies, a black 




tributed, so as 
to assure fairl}' 
good crops from 
)earto year. 
The Red River 
jottom lands pro- 
duce from -U to 1 bale of 
cotton to the acre, but for 
the entire county, one year 
with another, 25 to30bu.sh- 
els of corn, 10 to 12 bush- 
els of wheat, 45 of oats, 40 
of barley, 150 of sweet pota- 
toes, 100 bushels of Irish 
potatoes, may be considered 
a good average. Vegetables 
of all descriptions yield 
handsomely in the earlier 
part of the year. Peaches, early apples, 
pears, plums, etc., are grown in large 
quantities. Apples yield as well, and 
are equal in quality to those grown in 
any of the Southern States. The culti- 
vated American grapes, as well as the 
wild varieties, blackberries, dewberries, 
strawberries, and several other small 
fruits, yield satisfactory results. As a 
whole, it is a most desirable agricultural 
county, and equal in productiveness to 
other counties in the same part of the 
State. 

The last official report (1894) gives the 
number of farms in the county at 1,462, 
the acreage in cultivation at 82,811 acres, 
and the yield at 16,139 bales of cotton. 



waxy lime land; in the 
pineries the prevailing 
soil is a mellow loam. 
The annual rainfall va- 
ries between .35 and 40 
inches, and is well dis- 




573.169 bushels of corn, 56.270 
bushels of small grain, 37,488 
bushels of Irish and sweet 
potatoes, 3,271 bushels of peas 
and beans, 1,997 tons of hay, 



Views in Ci.arksvillk. 

Public School. 4, Public .Square. 

Court House. .5. First Nafl Bauk. 

Clarksville Oil Mill. 6. Cotton Compress 



90 barrels of sugar, and 780 barrels of 
molasses; 8,069 tons of cotton seed, the 
total value of which is given at $1,010,077, 
and to this should be added the values 
produced in the orchard, garden and 
apiary, amounting to |49,397. Since 
then there has been a considerable in- 
crease in population and production. 

The principal variety of grass is the 
sedge, wiiich is found in most parts of 
the county. In the early part of the 
year it affords some pasturage, but dur- 
ing the winter months the live stock 
requires the run of the fields and small 
grain pastures. Stock raising is almost 
universally combined with agricultural 
operations, and there are no large herds 
of range stock in the county. Accord- 
ing to the assessment roll of 1894, there 
were in the county 10,279 horses and 
mules, 15,865 head of cattle, 57 jacks 
and jennets; 2,817 sheep, 428 goats, and 
25,605 hogs, the entire live stock being 
valued at $507,672. Of late years par- 
ticular attention has been given to the 
improvement of the various breeds, and 
large numbers of high grade stock can 
be found. Hogs are raised cheapl3\ re- 
ceive but little attention, and are fat- 
tened on the mast in the forests. 

Red River County was settled as early 
as 1816-17, at which time a number of 
Austin's colonists stopped there and made 
a crop before proceeding further south. 
It was organized in 1836. The school 
population, exclusive of the larger towns, 
is 6,230. The school buildings number 51, 




Happy Picaninnies in the Red 
River Bottom. 



and 128 teaclu-rs 
are employed. 
Clarksville is 

the county seat, 
and has a popu- 
lation of 1,588. 
The other towns 
in the county are 
Detroit, popula- 
tion 604; Anona, 
population 267 ; 
Bagwell, popula- 
tion 161 ; Wood- 
lawn, population 

112, and Ilalesborough, ])opulation 159. 
The general valuations of property in 
the county for 1894 amount to $4,038,605. 
There are 3 banks in the county, with a 
capital of $200,000, some 80 mercantile 
establishments, a brick and tile factory, a 
cannery, two broom factories, and a num- 
ber of smaller manufacturing enterprises. 
The Texas & Pacific Railway traverses 
the county near its center from east to 
west. The principal town on the line is 
Clarksville, the county seat, which lies 
in the center of a rich agricultural dis- 
trict. It has a fine public school build- 
ing, churches of the various denomina- 
tions, a convent, a handsome and com- 
modious court-house, two banks, a steam 
planing mill, saw mill, grist mill, cotton 
gin, and two newspapers. The principal 
shipments are cotton, hides, grain and 
live stock. The population is progres- 
sive, and enjoys the modern conveniences 
common to towns of its dimensions. 




Red River, near Clarksville. 



Xamar County, tleiae. 



THIS county is the third from the eastern boundary line of the State, in the tier 
of counties fronting on Red River. It has an area of 920 square miles, and 
was formed in 1840 from Red River County. It was named in honor of 
Mirabeau B. Lamar, one of the presidents of the Republic of Texas. Its population 
in 1890 was 37,302, and it contains the following named towns: Paris, the county 
seat, population, 8,254; Blossom, population, 695; Brookston, population, 237; 
Roxton, population, 226; Petty, population, 206; Pattonville, population, 105; 
Chicota, population, 321; and Deport, population, 274. The assessed values of the 
county are given at |9, 711, 930. The railway facilities are excellent, and afford 
transportation in all directions. The Texas & Pacific, Paris & Great North- 

ern, and Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe Railways pass through P^ the county, and 



have a combined mileage of 66.21 miles. There are five 



banks 



the 




Count}', 
with a to- 
tal capital 
of|480,000. 
Improved 
lands sell 
for $10 to 
$60 per 
acre. The 
school pop- 
u 1 a t i o n 
outside of 
the cities, 
is 8,611, 
for whom 
156 school- 
houses, and 167 teachers are maintained. The indus- 
tries of the county consist of 225 mercantile estab- 
lishments, 6 saw-mills, two ice factories, two candy 
factories, bottling works, broom factory, furniture 
factory, several cotton gins, planing mills, flour mills, 
brick -yards, canning factories, etc., etc. 

The surface of the county presents alternate strips 
of wood land and prairie. On the wide bottoms of 
Red River is found a deep alluvial soil, with a heavy 
growth of black, overcup, and other oaks, of walnut, ash, sycamore and hack- 
berry. South of this is a belt of land 10 to 12 miles wide, with a sandy soil 
covered with tnuber, of which much is bois d'arc, svcamore and hickory This 
belt is interspersed here and there with areas of prairie. Next is a strip of 
gray, sandy prairie, from 3 to 5 miles wide, and then, extending to the timber of 
North Sulphur Fork of Red River, and comprising about one-third of the surface 
of the county, are the stiff black waxv prairie lands, noted for their fertility and 
their capacity to resist drouth. South of these, and extending to the southern 
county hue, is a body of valuable timber, growing on a sandy soil interspersed 
with open spaces of black lands. The bois d'arc grows to a large size and is very 
valuable for wagon-making, furniture, and for all purposes requiring a hard fine- 
grained and durable wood. 



"... -ii'.H'i 



JLhi 





The surface of the county, more elevated in the 
centre, slopes north to Red River, and south to 
North Sulphur Fork of the same stream, both of 
which have numerous tributaries. Nearly the en- 
tire area is suitable for cultivation, and about one- 
half or more is enclosed in farms, which range in 
dimension from 25 to 1,000 acres. The yield of the 
Red River bottom lands is, in many seasons, fnmi 
50 to 60 bushels of corn, or a bale of cotton to the 
acre. The other lands of the county rareh', if 
ever, yield so well, but, taken as a whole, the 
productive average of the county is very high, the 
proportion of exceptionally fertile land being 
very large. All varieties of fruits and berries do 
as well as in any southern latitude, and the vege- 
table garden leaves nothing to be wished for. 
The mean annual rainfall is about 40 inches, and 
is generally very well distributed. The number 
of farms in the county is given at 2,612, compris- 
ing 129,670 acres, which, in 1894, produced 38,113 
bales of cotton, 1,282,579 bushels of corn, 153,643 
bushels of small grain, 50,186 bushels of Irish and 
sweet potatoes, 1,256 bushels of peas and beans, 
13,121 tons of hav, and 19,057 tons of cotton seed, 
valued at 12,395,003. The value of garden, orchard, 
and apiary products was $93,244. 
The live stock in the county numbers 17,358 
horses and mules, 30,183 cattle, 862 sheep, 250 
goats, 24,597 hogs, valued at |838,896. 

Paris is estimated to have at this time a popula- 
tion of about 12,000, the place having grown rapidly 
since the last census was taken. There are invested 
in various local enterprises about f 2, 000, 000, some 
of the establishments being 2 large planing mills, 
a cotton seed oil mill, cotton gin, a cotton com- 
press, 3 foundries, 1 chair factory, 3 marble works, 
candy factory, 2 ice factories, a gas and electric 
plant, etc. The manufactured products are valued 
at $1,500,000, and the commercial transactions are 
estimated at 16,500,000. The crops of the county, 
handled in Paris, are estimated to amount to 
30,000 bales of cotton, 31,000 pounds of wool, 
250,000 pounds of hides, 521,000 bushels of corn, 
115,000 bushels of wheat, 45,000 tons of cotton 
seed, etc. The local bank capital amounts to 
$650,000. The city has a very perfect system of 
public schools and higher colleges, and a scholastic 
population of 2,696. The altitvide above sea level 
is 588 feet. 

Blossom, formerly Blossom Prairie, is a flourish- 
ing incorporated town of 695 inhabitants. It is 
situated 11 miles east of Paris, and contains 6 steam 
grist mills and cotton gins, several saw mills, 3 
churches, a district school, a weekly newspaper, 
some 20 mercantile establishments, and a bank. A 
considerable business in cotton, lumber, railroad 
ties, live stock and grain is transacted at this point. 

Brookston has 237 inhabitants, 2 steam cotton gins and grist mills. It is situ- 
ated about 8}4 miles southwest of Paris. 

Chicota is 15 miles north of Paris, has 321 inhabitants, 3 churches, a school, 
and several cotton gins. 

Deport has 274 inhabitants, has 2 churches, and a weekly newspaper. It is 
situated 19 miles southeast of Paris. 

Roxton, on the Gulf, Colorado, and Santa Fe Railway, contains 3 churches, a 
school, 2 steam grist mills and cotton gins. It is situated 13 miles southwest of 
Paris, and has 226 inhabitants. 




isidences and alken institute 
Paris. 



jfannin County, ticras, 




WAS named in honor of Col. J. W. Fannin, 
who, with his entire command, was 
murdered near Goliad by the Mexicans 
in 1836. It fronts on Red River, and lies be- 
tween Lamar and Grayson Counties. Its area 
is 900 square miles, and population (1890), 
38,709, of whom about 14 per cent are colored. 
Agriculture is the engrossing pursuit of the peo- 
ple, though considerable attention is also paid to stock-raising. The surface of the 
county generally is undulating, about one-third of the area being covered with timber. 
In the southern portion of the county, black waxy land is the prevailing soil, and 
in this section corn and cotton are grown with great success. Next comes a wide 
belt of loamy soils, varying in color from light to dark, and especially adapted to 
wheat and fruitgrowing; and, lastly, the reddish brown, alluvial bottom lands of 
Red River, which are equally well suited for any of the crops named, are common 
to this section of Texas. The entire river front of Fannin County, a strip of land 
about ten miles wide, is believed to be unsurpassed for the production of fruits 
common to a southern country. A very large proportion, probably four-fifths of 
the area, is susceptible of cultivation. Under ordinary favorable conditions the 
yield is, per acre, /^ to % bale of cotton, 30 to 35 bushels of corn, 12 to 15 bushels 
of wheat, 50 bushels of oats, 2 tons of hay, 100 bushels of early Irish potatoes and 
200 bushels of sweet potatoes. Garden truck of all sorts and melons are grown in 
great quantity. The fruits found to succeed best are peaches, pears, plums, 
cherries, early apples, strawberries and raspberries. Several varieties of grapes are 
successfully grown. Pecans, wild plums and wild grapes of several kinds are 
abundant in the forests, which consist of bois d'arc, some black walnut, several 
kinds of oak, hickory, ash, elm, pecan and hackberry. Bois d'arc here grows to a 
large size, and is used extensively in the manufacture of wagons, furniture, etc., 
and is preferred to all other timbers for fencing or railway ties. The walnut, ash 
and oak are quite abundant, and are available for many purposes. The annual 
rainfall is 40 inches, and is generally so well distributed that damage from drouth is 
of rare occurrence. There are numerous streams in the county which afford an 
abundant supply of stock water. 

The native grasses are moderately abundant and nutritive, and, with a little 

_^^_ _ _ _ _ feeding during the winter months, will easily 

carry the live stock in the county. Stock- 
raising is of secondary importance in the 
pursuits of the inhabitants, and forms a part 
of ordinary farming operations. The assess- 
ment of 1894 gives the county 19,498 horses 
and mules, 21,639 head of cattle, 125 jacks 
and jennets, 536 sheep, 147 goats and 28,621 
hogs, the whole valued at $1,012,440. 

The number of farms in cultivation is given 
at 2,813, aggregating 176,541 acres and yield- 
ing 45,560 bales of cotton, 1,676,245 bushels 
of corn, 123,456 bushels of wheat, 414.652 
bushels of oats, 400 bushels of rye and barley, 
31,259 bushels of Irish and sweet potatoes, 3,987 bushels of beans 
and peas, 5,720 tons of hay, 1,668 barrels of sorghum molasses and 
22,780 tons of cotton seed, the whole valued at $2,763,692. The 
value of orchard, garden and apiary products is given at 
$95,965. 

The county school population of 8,832 is housed 
in 151 school buildings, and 177 teachers are therein 
employed. The various religious denominations 






Views in Bonham. 

1, Court House. 

2, Residence. 

3, Cotton Seed Oil Mill. 

4, Street Scene. 




Hauling Mammoth Log to Saw Mili,. 



are well represented and have numerous 
places of worship. The railways in the 
county have a combined mileage of 
101.14 miles, and consist of the Texas 
& Pacific, the Missouri, Kansas & Texas, 
the Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe, the St. 
Louis Southwestern, and the Denison, 
Bonhani & New Orleans railways. Im- 
proved lands are generally held at prices 
ranging from $15 to f40 per acre. The 
valuations of the countv for 1894 are 
given at $10,073,390. there are four 
banks in the county, with a capital of 
$360,000; 235 mercantile establishments, 
4 flouring mills, 4 sawmills, 2 ice fac- 
tories, 3 oil mills, 1 tobacco factory, 2 
cotton compresses, 1 furniture factory 
and numerous smaller enterprises. 

Bonham, population 3,361, is the 
county seat. Other important towns are 
Savoy, population, 344; Leonard, 392; 



Ladonia, 765; Honey Grove, 1,828; Ra- 
venna, 237; Dodd City, 333; Trenton, 
276; Valley Creek, 216; Delta, 410. 
Mead Springs, near Honey Grove, is a 
noted health resort. The waters are said 
to contain iron and other mineral sub- 
stances, and are recommended for chronic 
complaints. 

Bonham is a progressive town, on the 
Texas & Pacific Railway. It is sub- 
stantially built, and transacts a large 
business in grain, flour and other local 
products. It has several good colleges, 
a number of churches, 3 banks, a hand- 
some and well-appointed opera house, 4 
newspapers, 2 flouring mills, an ice 
factory, cotton seed oil mill, cotton com- 
press, planing mill, 2 cotton gins and a 
furniture factory. It is surrounded by 
what is conceded to be one of the finest 
agricultural districts of the State. 




Plowing in February Near Bonham, Fannin County. 






P 


(^r^^.i , 


J 


Ki. •. -- , :^ 


HnI 



(5rai?0on County, 'JTcxas, 

HIS county fronts on Red River in longitude 96.40 west, 
and is the sixth county west of the Louisiana State Line. 

It has an area of 968 square 
miles and a population of 
53,211. It was organized in 
1846 and named in honor of 
Peter W. Grayson, the sec- 
ond Attorney General of the 
Republic of Texas. The city 
of Sherman, the county 
seat, was named in honor 
of Sidney Sherman, who 
commanded the 2d Regi- 
ment at the battle of San 
Jacinto. 

About two-thirds of the 
area of the county is undu- 
lating prairie, broken at intervals by hills of moderate 
elevation, subsiding into narrow valleys through which 
flow small streams. Their course is generally marked 
by a fringe of timber. Running north and south 
through the western half of the county is a belt of 
wooded upland, consisting of several kinds of oak, 
hickory and other trees, the strip of woodland being 
generally known as the lower cross timbers. The Red River 
bottoms are wide here and comprise about one-third of the 
area of the county. They are covered by a heavy forest of 
useful woods of which pecan and bois d'arc are quite abund- 
ant. Streams of water are numerous, all of them flow- 
i ing part of the year, though some cease to flow part of 

the time. Nearly all of them hold water in pools in 
their beds in the dryest seasons, and together with 
numerous tanks, ponds, etc., furnish an abundant sup- 
ply for stock. There are some springs of pure water, 
and good wells are obtained at a moderate depth at 
-^ almost any desired point. The water in the timbered 
uplands is usually a clear freestone, while that of the 
black prairie lands is more or less impregnated with lime. 
It is estimated that nine-tenths of the surface of the 
county is good farming land. Many of the highways present 
a continuous succession of farms or enclosed pastures with 
farm houses at short intervals, indicating a large agricultural 
population. The soils of the prairie consist of areas of black 
waxy and dark sandy land, both well adapted to cotton and 
wheat. The 

timbered up- ?'" - - ^ - . -^ 

land is gen- \ 
erally a gray [ 
sandy soil on ''\ 




Views in Sherman. 

1, Street Scene. 

2, Public School. 

3, Public School. 

4, Austin College. 
vS, Fire Department. 

6, Cotton Seed Oil Mill. 

7, Milling- Section. 

8, Baggring Factory. 



S8|-»SS 



^^ft 




a clay sub- 
soil and is 
fairly pro- 
ductive ; the 
soil of the 
Red River bulloni is a deep red alluvium, 
not infrequently yielding a bale or more 
of cotton to the acre, and from 50 to 60 
bushels of corn. Both soil and climate 
are favorable to diversified farming, and 
are well adapted to fruits and vegetables. 
Peaches, earl} apples, pears, plums, 
grapes and strawberries are grown in 
great abundance and are of good (piality. 
The average rainfall is about 39.45 inches, 
and serious damage from drouth has not 
at any time been encountered. Much 
of the wheat grown exceeds the stand- 
ard in weight, and is ready for market 
some weeks in advance of that grown in 
other States. As in most counties of 
Northern Texas, there is but little open 
range, and to carry stock in good con- 
dition more or less feeding is required 
during the winter months. There is 
much high-grade stock in the county, as 
improved breeds of all kinds have been 
extensively introduced during the 
past decade. The wooded uplands , 
and river bottoms afford fine range 
for hogs, and these are easily 
and cheaply raised. 

Grayson was cut out of Fannin 
County, of which it formerly was a 
part. Its assessed values for 1894 
amounted to $17,030,665, being 
ninth in point of land values and 
third in point of population in the 
State. It has am])le railway facili- 
ties, being traversed by the Texas 
& Pacific Railway, the Houston & 
Texas Central Railway; the Missouri, Kansas 
& Texas; the St. Louis Southwestern, and 
the Denison & Washita Valley Rail- 
ways, which have a combined mile- 
age of 167.28 miles. 

Sherman is the county seat and 
has a population of 7,335. The other 
principal towns are Denison, popula- 
tion 10,958; Bell's, population 429; 
Whitewright, population 880; Howe, pop- 
ulation 284; Van Alstyne, population 
737; CoUinsville. popvdation 332 ; Whites- 
boro', population 1,170; Gordonville, 
population 182; Pottsboro', population 
286; Pilot (irove, population 193; Cedar 
Mills, population 146. Improved lands se 
for $25 to JSO per acre. There are 9 lianks in 
the county with a capital of $1,850,000, 465 mer 
cantile establishments, 6 flouring mills, 2 ice fac- 
tories, 3 cotton seed oil factories, 1 .seamless l^ag 
factory and one cotton mill, as well as a number 
of stnaller enterprises. The 
county school population is t^ — ^. 



given at 8,256, for whose benefit 135 
school houses are maintained and 161 
teachers are employed. 

The number of farms in the county is 
given at 3,334, some 214,359 acres being 
in cultivation, yielding a product of 
32,848 bales of cotton, 1,697,358 bushels 
of corn, 208,543 bushels of wheat, 1,272,- 
646 bushels of oats, 1,488 bushels of 
barley and rye, 79,892 bushels of Irish 
and sweet potatoes, 9,837 tons of hay, 
493 Iiarrels of sugar and 16,425 tons of 
cotton seed, the value of which is given 
at $2,408,575, to which might be added 
the value of the orchard and garden 
product, amounting to $124,808. 

The live stock consists of 23,252 horses 
and mules, 25,572 cattle, 165 jacks and 
jennets, 1,658 sheep and 21,088 hogs, the 
whole valued at $1,105,444. 

Denison is situated in the northeastern 
portion of the county, about three miles 
south from Red River and nine miles 
northeast of Sherman, the county seat. 
^ It is built upon 
' ' J liiRh ground 
almost as level 
as a floor, sur- 
rounded by 
moderate ele- 
vations, it oc- 
cupies an ideal 
site for a city. 
It is laid off 




in broad and well kept streets and ave- 
nues, lined on either side with handsome 
business blocks, churches, school houses 
and residences. The Missouri, Kansas 
& Texas Railway, the Houston & Texas 
Central Railway and the Texas & Pacific 
Railway, furnish excellent transporta- 
tion facilities. The educational facilities 
are of the highest order, the city main- 
taining 6 commodious brick school build- 
ings and a staff of 40 efficient teachers. 
The private institutions are of high 
grade. There are 17 church organiza- 
tions, 1 opera house, 3 national banks, 
3 daily and 5 weekly newspapers. The 
city is supplied with gas works, water 
works, electric light, a fire department, 
a street car system and a suburban line; 
also an ice factory, brick yards, cotton 
gins, flour and planing mills, a brewery, 
soap factory, fruit canner}', and a large 
cotton mill employing 700 hands. Coal, 
ore, water and raw material of various 
kinds necessary to build a large city 
are within easy reach. 

Sherman is the county seat and is 
situated near the center of the count}', 
in the midst of a fine agricultural region. 



Its railway facilities are excellent, con- 
sisting of the Texas & Pacific Railway, 
the St. Louis Southwestern, the Houston 
& Texas Central Railway and Missouri, 
Kansas & Texas Railway. Nearly every 
christian sect is represented in Sherman. 
Its public school system is conducted on 
the most approved modern methods. In 
addition to the public schools there are 
a number of colleges and private schools. 
The city has an extensive system of 
electric lights, water works, street car 
lines, an opera house, 2 banks, a com- 
modious and handsome court house, and 
numerous fine business blocks and 
private residences. The industrial en- 
terprises consist of a cotton seed oil 
mill, cotton gin, 3 patent roller flouring 
mills, an ice factory, seamless bag fac- 
tory, 2 foundries, a cotton compress, the 
largest iron works in North Texas, 
marble works, planing mill, brick j'ards, 
furniture factories, and cigar, soap, mat- 
tress, broom, candy and carriage fac- 
tories. There are 2 daily and 3 weekly 
newspapers. The principal shipments 
are cotton, grain, live stock, flour, cot- 
ton seed oil, hides, etc. 



Views in Denison. 

3, M. H. Sherburne. 5, Oil Mill. 

4, \V. H. Mills. 6, T. & P. R'y "Station. 

7, Cotton Mill. / 




S)enton Count\>, 'Jlcxas. 



fSr^- — , 



THIS county is in the second tier south of Red River, and is bordered on the 
south line by the counties of Dallas and Tarrant. It is traversed by the 
Transcontinental Branch of the Texas & Pacific Railway, the Dallas & 
Wichita Branch of the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railway, and the Gulf, Colo- 
rado & Santa Fe Railway, the combined roads havinjr a 
mileage of 89.9 miles. The county was organized in 
1846, and has an area of 909 square miles, a popula- 
tion of 21,289, and an assessed valuation of $7,425,940 
(1894). Improved lands .sell from #12 to $30 per 
acre. The county has 92 school houses, em- 
ploys 93 teachers, and has a school popu- 
lation of 4,757. Nearly all Christian sects 




Views in Denton. 

1, Lone Star Nursery. ' 

2, Public School. 

3, Normal School. 

5, Res. G. H. Blewett. 

6, Res. Reuben Terrell. 

7, Cottages. 





are well represented in church organiza- 
tions. Al)out two-thirds of the area of 
the county is high, rolling prairie, the 
, _^ soil of which is a rich, black, 
\ tenacious, waxy land. The 
wide belt of woodland, known 
as the lower cross timber, runs 
north and south through the 
\ county, and is interspersed 
I with prairies of greater or 
j lesser extent. The soil of the 
woodland is a gray loam, easilj^ 
tilled and fairly productive. 
The prairie lands are especially 
adapted to the growth of wheat, 
oats, barley and millet, while 
the soil of the timbered por- 
tion, and of the chocolate colored loam of the valleys 
is perhaps more suited to cotton, corn, fruits and 
vegetables. The Elm fork of Trinity River, and a 
number of smaller streams flow through the county, 
affording thorough drainage and an abundant supply 
_-=== of stock water. Good water for house- 
hold uses is obtained from wells 16 to 
40 feet deep ; cisterns are used more or 
less on the black waxy lands. 

The leading varieties of timber are 
post oak, burr oak, Spanish oak, pecan, 
cedar, elm, box-elder and cottonwood. 
The post oak timber, found chiefly in 
the uplands, is, usually, short, but is 
suitable for rails, fence posts, fuel, etc., 
while on the streams there is timber 
large enough and suitable for lumber. 
The pecan trees bear heavy crops of 
nuts, that have quite a high market value. 
Fruit-growing is carried on to a large extent, and 
peaches, early apples, cherries, plums, grapes and 
strawberries, with ordinary attention, produce fruit of 
large size and fine flavor. Blackberries and dewberries 
are indigenous to the country. The results of fruit cul- 
ture and truck-growing, up to this time, give assur- 
ance that they can be made a sure 
' — ■ and profitable business. Theproducts 

of the orchard, garden and apiary for 
; 1894 are valued at$56, 102. Theannual 
rainfall varies from 33 to 35 inches, 
and is sufficiently regular in its pre- 
cipitation to insure fair crops from 
year to year. 



Views in Denton. 

8, Oil Mill. 

9, Street Scene. 
10, Alliance Mills. 




Fully two -thirds 
of the surface of 
the county is suit- 
able for farming 
purposes, and, un- 
der proper culti- 
vation, the fol- 
lowing crops per acre may be obtained: Cotton, one- 
third to one-half bale; corn, 30 to 40 bushels; wheat, 
10 to 20 bushels ; oats, 40 to 60 bushels; barley, 30 to 
40 bushels; sorghum syrup, 100 to 150 gallons; Irish 
potatoes, 90 to 100 bushels; sweet potatoes, 150 to 200 
bushels; hay, three-fourths to one ton per acre, and 
millet one and one-half to two tons. 

The number of farms in the county in 1894 is given 

at 1,756, corpprising 134,680 acres, 

1 and yielding 16,468 bales of cotton, 

1 828,570 bushels of corn, 484,962 

i bushels of wheat, 644,280 bushels 

! of oats, 4^197 bushels of other 

small grain, 25,585 bushels of Irish 

and sweet potatoes, 770 bushels of 

peas and beans, 4,924 tons of hay, 

288 barrels of sorghum molasses, 

218 tons of sorghum cane, 8,234 

tons of cotton seed, the value of 

which is given at $1,482,079. 

The live stock of the county con- 
sists of 19,717 horses and mules, 
36,630 cattle, 209 jacks and jennets, 
3,425 head of sheep, 75 goats, 
13,098 hogs, the value of which is given at $934,510. 

The towns in the county are: Denton, county seat, population, 2,558; Pilot 
Point, population, 1,090; Roanoke, population, 292; Argyle, population, 148; 
Bolivar, population, 186; Lewisville, population, 498; Little Elm, population, 125. 
Denton, the county seat, is thirty-eight and one-half miles northwest of 
Dallas, and is situated at the junction of the Texas & Pacific and the Missouri, 
Kansas & Texas Railways. The busin<.'ss of the town consists principally of the 
handling of cotton, corn, wheat, oats, fruits and vegetables. It has a commo- 
dious public school building, seven churches, two banks, first-class hotels, 
an efficient fire department, a fine opera house, two weekly newspapers, an ex- 
cellent system of water works, an electric plant, two roller flouring mills, three 
grain elevators, an ice factory, two brick and tile works, two potteries, three cot- 
ton gins, a canning factory and a planing-mill. Large shipments of cotton, flour, 
grain, brick, tile, pottery, hides and wool are made from this point. 





Harvest Scene Near Denton. 



Case Count\), 'Ceias. 



THIS county was created in 1846 and 
was formerly part of Bowie County. 
It lies on the Louisiana line, and is 
south of Bowie County, from which it is 
separated by Sulphur Fork of Red 
River. The area is 951 square miles, 
and in 1890 it had 22,554 inhabitants, 
nearly all of whom are engaged in agri- 
cultural pursuits or interested in lum- 
bering. Three railroads traverse the 
county, namely the Texas & Pacific, the 
St. Ivouis Southwestern and the Sherman, 
Shreveport & Southern Railways, which 
have a combined mileage of 47.96 miles. 
While few of its towns are large, they 
nevertheless transact a business of con- 
siderable volume. They are: Linden, 
the county seat, population, 444; Queen 
City, population, 672; Cusseta, popula- 
tion, 107; Kildare, population, 366; 
Douglass ville, population, 350; Atlanta, 
population, 1,764; Hughes Springs, on 
the East Line & Red River Railway, a 
well-known summer resort, noted for the 
curative powers of its waters in cases of 
general debility, malarial and typhoid 
fevers, population, 296; Avinger, popu- 
lation, 123; Bryan's Mills, population, 
109; Bivens, population, 302 ; and Wood - 
worth's Mill, population, 267. 

The various religious organizations are 
well represented, and the school facili- 
ties are efficient, consisting of 84 school 
houses and 209 teachers, the school pop- 
ulation being 4,685. The assessed values 
of taxable property for 1894 amounted to 
12,078,723. Improved lands sell for |5 
to $20 per acre. The number of farms 
in the county is given at 1,862, com- 
prising 73,421 acres. The crop for 1894 
was valued at f592,591, and consisted in 
the main of 9,573 l)ales of cotton, 292,488 
bushels of corn, 50,001 bushels of small 
grain, 43,752 bushels of Irish and sweet 
potatoes, 4,787 tons of cotton seed, and 
miscellaneous smaller crops. The or- 
chard and garden yielded a revenue of 
$60,717. The live stock of the county 
consists of 4,755 horses and mules, 
11,978 head of cattle, 1,722 head of sheep. 



739 goats, and 12,767 hogs, the whole 
valued at $252,434. 

There are in the county, one bank, 72 
mercantile houses, 12 sawmills, one 
creamery, iron works, and other manu- 
facturing enterprises. 

The topography of the county might 
be correctly described as follows: The 
general surface undulating, but broken 
in places by low hills. Three- fourths of 
the area covered with forests of short - 
leafed pine, three or four varieties of 
oak, hickory, cypress, walnut and ash, 
much of it of large growth. There is an 
abundance of water in the numerous 
running streams, and almost pure free- 
stone water can be had in wells of mod- 
erate depth at almost any desired loca- 
tion. Good springs are abundant. The 
soil is a friable, productive gray loam, 
interspersed with areas of red stiff clayey 
land, containing more or less iron. The 
former are easily cultivated, and yield 
800 pounds of seed cotton, 25 bushels of 
corn, 10 of wheat, 30 of oats, 25 of rj-e, 
30 of barley, 200 gallons of molasses, 100 
bushels of Irish potatoes, 150 of sweet 
potatoes, and about 2 tons of hay, to the 
acre. Vegetables yield very well, and 
the soil seems to be especially adapted to 
fruits, such as early apples, peaches, pears, 
plums, cherries, raspberries and straw- 
berries. The peaches grown in this sec- 
tion are noted for their very fine flavor. 

The stock interest is not as extensive 
as in other counties; cattle and sheep 
need some feeding during severe weather, 
and cottonseed is generally used. Stock 
horses and mules receive but little 
attention, other than the run of the 
fields, during the winter. Hogs do mod- 
erately well on the mast of the forests, 
and are only fed to keep them gentle. 

In the forests there is more or less 
game, such as deer, turkey, ([uail, squir- 
rels, and in the winter months, along the 
lakes and streams, ducks and geese can 
be found in great numbers. Perch, cat- 
fish, bass and buffalo afford good fishing 
in most streams. 




F.\RM Scene in C.a.ss County. 



fll^arion County, XTeiae. 



THE Louisiana State Line forms the 
eastern boundary Morris and Cass 
Counties the north boundary, and 
Harrison County the south boundary of 
Marion County. The city of Jefferson, 
the county seat, is at the head of navi- 
gation on Big Cypress Bayou, a tribu- 
tary of Red River, through Caddo 
and Soda Lakes. The area of the county 
is 418 square miles. The county was 
created from Cass and Harrison Counties 
in 1860, and was named in honor of 
Francis Marion. The population in 
1890, was 8,512, of whom 3,073 were 
residents of Jefferson. 

With slight exceptions, the whole area 
of the county is arable, and could be 
cultivated with reasonable profit, but 
much of the land is chiefly 
valuable for its timber. The 
surface is gently undulating, 
rising occasionally into hills 
of considerable elevation, and 
stretching out into generally 
narrow but frequently long val- 
leys. Except where in cultiva- 
tion, or cut off for the use of 
the saw mills, the whole area 
is covered with a dense forest 
of post oak, red oak, pin oak, 
water oak, pine, cypress, hick- 
ory, walnut, sweet and black 
gum, and other kinds of tim- 
ber. 

Big Cypress Bayou, navigable 
for nine months in the year to 
Jefferson, Black Cypress Bayou, 
a deep stream running north- 
west and southeast across the county, and 
Little Cypress Bayou, on the southern 
border, unite and form Clinton, Caddo and 
Soda Lakes, which open into Red River. 
A number of perpetually running creeks 
tributary to these streams, many unfailing 
springs, and wells at a moderate depth, 
furnish all parts of thecounty with an abund- 
ant and convenient supply of pure water for 
all pur])C)ses. The mean annual rainfall is 
about 48 inches, and the seasons are usually 
regular. Serious damage to crops l)y drouth 
is of very rare occurrence. 

The soil near the lakes and in the 
creek and river bottoms is a rich 
alluvial, and that on the higher lying 
lands a lighter loam, generally rest- 
ing on a sul)stratuin of red clay. 
With proper tillage, the bottom lands 
ordinarily yield from 800 to 1,000 
pounds of seed cotton, the uplands 
500 to 800 pounds, to the acre. The 
usual production is, of corn 20 to 25 



bushels; oats 30 to 40 bushels; millet 
1>2 to 2 tons; potatoes and all varieties 
of vegetables yield well. There are 
several nurseries, and a number of 
large orchards, and on almost every 
farm some fruit trees can be found. The 
peaches are of superior size and flavor, 
and results obtained from other fruits 
have been very satisfactory. 

Stock-raising is only carried on in 
connection with agriculture, the herds 
being numerous, but small. The sedge 
is the most abundant of the native 
grasses, but Bermuda grass was intro- 
duced years ago and is rapidly spreading 
on light sandy lands. It affords superior 
pasturage during the summer months. 
Good winter range is generally obtained 
from the thickets of 
switch cane found on 
some of the bottom 
lands. As a rule stock 
need feeding about 3 
months in the year. 
"■"^-^ The mast in the forest, 
n many seasons is 




Views in Jefferson 
2, Sheep Raising. 
.^, Res. B. F. Shevell 

4, Iron Works. 

5, Res. M. C Sluter. 

6, Near Jefferson. 

7, I,iimber Mills. 




sufficient to fatten hogs for 
market. Domestic fowls of 
all kinds are raised in large 
numl)ers. 

Iron is found in many 
portions of the county and 
seems to be unlimited in 
quantity. At Kelleyville, 
a small town in the county, 
it has been manufactured 
for a number of years into 
plows, stoves, hollow-ware, 
pig iron, etc. The manu- 
facture of lumber is, how- 
ever, the principal indus- 
trial pursuit, some 10 large 
sawmills being in constant operation. 

The Texas & Pacific Railway passes 
through the center of the county from 
north to south, the East Line & Red 
River Railway runs from the northwest 
boundary of the county to Jefferson. 
The mileage of the two roads in the 
county is 29.61 miles. The assessed 
value of all property in the count}' in 
1894 was 1^1,878,657 of which |119,442 
was charged to live stock. Improved 
lands sell for ^5 to |10 per acre, unim- 
proved lands can generally be had at $2 
to |5 per acre. There is 1 bank with a 
capital of $150,000, 1 ice factory, 10 
sawmills, 2 shingle mills, 1 iron fur- 
nace, 2 foundries, 2 machine shops and 
numerous smaller manufacturing enter- 
prises in the count}'. The school pop- 
ulation is 4,037 for whom 57 school - 
houses and 80 teachers are maintained. 
449 farms comprising 24,420 acres are in 




U. S. Government Building 



cultivation. They produced 
in 1894 the following crops 
wliicli were valued at |177,- 
926: Cotton, 3,001 bales; 
corn, 94,111 bushels; oats, 
31,115 bushels; Irish and 
sweet potatoes, 15,693 bush- 
els; peas, 440 bushels; 
sugar, 75 barrels, sorghum 
cane, 51 tons; cotton seed, 
1,501 tons. The value of 
the garden and orchard 
products was $22,280. 

The live stock consists 
of 1,866 horses and mules, 
valued at $70,162; 6,193 
head of cattle valued at $43,295; 671 
sheep valued at $658; 179 goats, value 
$95 and 4,370 hogs valued at $5,232. 

The Bangus Mineral Springs, in the 
northeast corner of the county, near the 
Louisiana line, are credited with medi- 
cinal virtues of great value. 

Jefferson, the county seat, is 58 
miles south of Texarkana. It has 7 
churches, good schools, a cotton com- 
press, iron works, a flour mill, a foun- 
dry, an ice factory, several sawmills, 
gas works, fire department, a new Fed- 
eral court house and post office, a num- 
ber of wholesale houses, good hotels, 
and a weekly newspaper. Lumber, 
woolen goods, iron, cotton and hides are 
the principal shipments. The other 
points of importance in the county are 
Kellyville, population, 279; La.sater, 
population, 103; and Lodi, population, 
106. 




Plowing i.n J.\nu.\rv, Marion Col-.n-tv. 



Ibarrison County, XTeiae, 



THIS is one of the oldest counties of East 
Texas. It was created from Shelbj' 
County in 1839. It has an area of 
S99 square miles, and is situated on the 
boundary line between Louisiana and 
Texas. On the north it is bounded by 
Marion County and on the south by Panola 
and Rusk Counties. It is traversed by the 
Texas & Pacific Railway, the Texas and 
Sabine Valley Railway and the Marshall, Paris 
and Northwestern Railway, the entire mileage 
in the county being 77.57 miles. 

The population in 1890 was 26,721 and the 
school census for 1894 reports 7,487 children of 
scholastic age, 107 school houses and 119 
teachers. The taxable valuations for 1894 amount 
to 14,207,771 of which |335,787 are charged 
to live stock. Irnproved lands sell at prices 
ranging from $5 to |25 per acre ; unimproved 
lands are usually sold at $3 to $10 per acre. 
The number of farms in the county in 1894 is 
given at 1,665, yielding products to the value 
of $831,406. These consisted of 14,215 bales 
of cotton, 371,593 bushels of corn, 6,700 bushels 
of oats, 80,560 bushels of sweet potatoes, 7,750 
bushels of Irish potatoes, 10,265 bushels of beans 
and peas, 350 barrels of sugar, 850 barrels of sor- 
ghum molasses, 7,108 tons of cotton seed and 
2,500 bushels of peanuts. Rice grows well, but 
very little of it is planted. Vegetables of all kinds 
grow in profusion. In common with several of 
the adjoining counties having ferruginous soils, 
fruits reach a high .state of perfection here. Apples 
require care but do well, and the same may 
be said of pears, which yield handsomely. 
Peaches are extra fine in flavor and apricots 
are easily grown. Grapes, figs and plums 
grow in profusion. They ripen three or four 
weeks earlier than in Missouri, Kentucky and 
Tennessee and considerable quantities of early 
fruits are shipped to the northern cities. In 
the woods are several varieties of wild fruits, 
notably grapes and plums, and in some local- 
ities the mast is very abundant. Irish pota- 
toes can generally be had ripe enough for " ^^^-'' 

the table by the 20th of April, roasting ears by the 20th of June, watermelons by 
the 1st of July. Wheat is usually ready for harvest by the 1st of May. Most 
vegetables except perennials, can be grown twice during the year. About 2,000 
acres are devoted to the cultivation of fruits and vegetables, yielding a money 
return of $37,418. 

Stock raising is a part of regular farm work in this county, there being no range 
stock. There were assessed for taxation in 1894, 5,869 horses and mules, valued at 
$228,475; 13,903 head of cattle, valued at $86,285; 8 jacks and jennets, valued at 
$1,410; 1,873 sheep and goats, valued at $3,309, and 9,145 hogs, valued at $16,108. 

Harrison County is a high, rolling country, made up of low hills and more or 
less extended valleys and ta])le lands, the whole area, excep{ that occupied by 
farms,--being covered with heavy forests of red oak, post oak, hickory, ash, elm, 
black jack and pine on the uplands, and of white oak, red oak, sweet gum, walnut 
and beech on the bottom lands. Two-thirds of the entire area are capable of profit- 
able cultivation, and the tillable lands consist of light gray or chocolate loam on a 
red clay foundation on the uplands, and a dark, deep loam on the bottoms, each 




Views in Marshall. 

1, Couft House. 

2, Res. Bishop's College. 

3, Bishop's College. 

4, Public Square. 




Texas & Pacific Railway Shops— Marshall Texas 



kind l)eing friable, fairly productive 
and of very easy cultivation. The 
principal water courses are the Sabine 
River, forming the northern boundary 
for 25 miles, and Little Cypress Bayou, 
flowing through the nortliern portion 
and emptying into Caddo Lake, a large 
body of fresh water, which, for a distance 
of about 30 miles, is the northern bound- 
ary. There are several large and many 
small creeks, very few of which go dry 
in any season. There are many springs 
of pure, freestone water, and wells are 
obtained in all parts of the county at a 
depth of 25 to 30 feet. 

Mineral springs are also numerous in 
the county, the most noted being Ros- 
borough Springs, 8 miles south of Mar- 
shall; Hynsou vSprings, 6 miles west, 
and INIontvale Springs, 12 miles north- 
west of Marshall, on the line of the Mar- 
shall, Paris & Northwestern Railway. 
These springs are 
recommended for 
dyspepsia, liv- 
er and kidney 
troubles. 



more or less iron in solution, fhe mean 
annual rainfall is 50 inches, and failures of 
crops from drouth have not yet occurred. 

Iron ore of superior quality and in 
great abundance is found in many parts 
of the county. A foundry engaged in 
the manufacture of car wheels has been 
in operation at Marshall for a number of 
years. 

Marshall, the county seat, is 74 miles 
southwest of Texarkana, and 40 miles 
west of Shreveport, La., and has 7,207 
inhabitants. The public school system 
of the city is conducted according to the 
most approved modern methods, and the 
schools are a credit to any city. Marshall 
is lighted by electricity, has a good sys- 
tem of waterworks, a well-equipped fire 
department, a street railway, a handsome 
court house, an opera house, telephone 
service, two national banks, a cotton gin 
factory, car wheel works, foundry, cotton 
compress, plow works, saw and planing 
mills, ice factory and the railway shops 
of the Texas & Pacific Railway. There 
are two daily and two weekly newspapers, 
and a daily hack line to Carthage, 30 
miles distant. Nearly all Christian 
denominations are represented, and most 
of the congregations have handsome 
places of worship. 

The other trading points of impor- 
tance in the county are Jonesville, pop- 
ulation 239; Ilallvillc, population 203; 
Elysian Fields, population 135, and 
Waskom, population 207. 




Farm Sge^B Near M.\k,sh.^ll. 




1Dip6bur County, Xlcras. 



THIS county is in the second tier of 
counties west of the Louisiana 
State line, and is the fourth county 
south of Red River. The Sabine River 
washes the southwestern boundary of 
the county. 

The surface of the county is generally 
rolling, and from near its center two 
ranges of hills, separated by the waters 
of Little Cypress Creek, trend south- 
eastwardly through the county. These 
hills, in places, are of considerable alti- 
tude compared with the general eleva- 
tion, and are covered, as is the entire 
remaining area not under cultivation, or 
exploited for its lumber, with a dense 
forest growth. Much of this timber is 
large and valuable, and consists, in the 
main, of post oak, red oak, white oak, 
pin oak, hickory, black gum, sweet 
gum and pine. The short leaf pine 
(pinus mitis) is still very abundant, and 
the timber still standing will supply the 
local saw mills for a number of years to 
come. 

The soil of the uplands is a gray loam, 
lying on a sub-stratum of red clay, and 
that in the valleys and creek bottoms 
a light alluvium — both easy of cultiva- 
tion and fairly productive, the latter 
being most esteemed for farms. 
Much of the soil of the pine 
uplands is inferior, and of 
little value except for the 
timber standing on it. The 
mean annual rainfall is 





about 47 
inches,usiially 
well distrib- 
uted, and 
damage from 

drouth is of very rare occurrence. 
The county contains many springs of 
very pure water, and good wells are 
easily obtained at a shallow depth, at 
almost any desired point. The Sabine 
River, and Big and Little Cypress and 
Sandy Creeks, and their numerous tribu- 
taries, afford all the stock water re- 
quired. 

Phillips Spring, the waters of which 
are chalybeate in character, are noted as 
a local health resort, and are claimed to 
afford cure and relief in cases of chronic 
dyspepsia and debility. They are situ- 
ated about 8 miles south of Gilmer, the 
county seat. 

The principal occupation is farming, 
and the manufacture of lumber. Most 
of the farms, and there are 1,110 in the 
county, are small in cultivated area, as 
is usual in a wooded country. The acre- 
age in cultivation in 1894, according to 
the official report, was 43,997, from 
which were obtained 7,806 bales of cot- 
ton, 320,788 bushels of corn, 27,568 
bushels of oats, rye and wheat, 24,397 
bushels of sweet potatoes, 608 
bushels of Irish potatoes, 702 
blishels of peas, 472 barrels 
of sugar, 44 barrels of 
sorghum molasses, and 
3,903 tons of cotton 
seed, and fruits and 
vegetables valued at 
130,846. The whole crop 
is valued at 1483,169. 
In the bottom lands cotton frequently 
yields from two-thirds to 1 bale per acre, 
and corn from 30 to 50 bushels, but the 
average yield in the county, one season 



"Views in Gilmer. 
1 and 2 Commercial Lumber Company. 

3, Court House. 

4, Commercial Hotel. 

5, Scene near Gilmer. 



with another, is about half these figures, 
while that of wheat is from 8 to 10 bush- 
els; oats, 30; sweet potatoes, 150 to 200; 
Irish, 80 to 90; molasses, 200 gallons; 
sorghum syrup, 150 gallons. Much of 
the soil is highly ferruginous, and the 
fruits grown are most excellent in flavor, 
size and quality. All known varieties 
yield well, and some 400 or 500 acres are 
devoted to fruit growing, but the capa- 
bilities of the county in this line have 
not yet been fully developed. 

The native grasses are neither abun- 
dant in variety or quantity, and the 
county is not adapted to stock raising 
on a large scale, or as a separate and 
distinct business, but in connection with 
ordinary farming operations, it is fairly 
profitable, particularly so, since great 
improvements in the breeds have been 
made. The summer and fall range is 
fairly good, but during the winter months 
more or less feeding is deemed neces- 
sary. The live stock consists of 2,184 
horses and mules, valued at $161,455; 
10,034 head of cattle, valued at |53,477; 
32 jacks and jennets, valued at $4,365; 
2,100 sheep, valued at $1,986; 1,193 
goats, valued at $880, and 14,796 hogs, 
valued at $18,310. 

There are large quantities of iron ore 
in the county, but no systematic effort 
has been made to develop the deposits. 
Analyses of the ore, made at various 
times, show the same to be of superior 
quality. Some of the streams afford a 
limited water power, but it has been 
utilized only to a small extent. 

Upshur County was created in 1846, 
the area being taken from Harrison and 
Nacogdoches Counties, and was named 
in honor of Hon. Abel P. Upshur, Sec- 
retary of State under President Tyler 
in 1843. It is traversed by the Texas & 
Pacific Railroad near its southern bound- 
ar}'. The St. Louis Southwestern crosses 
the county from north to south, by way 
of Pittsburgh, Gilmer and Big Sandy. 
There are 41.1 miles of railway in the 
county, the same being valued at $363,- 
524. The area of the county is 519 square 
miles, and the population in 1890 was 
12,695. Since then it has material!}' in- 
creased. The assessed valuations in 1894 
amounted to $1,809,972, of which $240,443 
was charged to live stock, and $363,524 
was assessed against railway jjroperty. 



Fruit and Vkget.\bi^e Farming — 
Upshur County offers as fine opportuni- 
ties as any section of Texas for indus- 
trious and thrifty fruit growers or small 
truck farmers who wish to locate. It 
has the very best railway facilities and 
is close enough to the home markets of 
Dallas and Fort Worth to insure good 
prices locally for everything raised; and 
the earliness with which it is possible to 
put fruits and vegetables on the Northern 
market, insures the fancy ])rices always 
paid for early products. They are within 
a reasonable run of Hot Springs, Ark., 
Memphis, Tenn., St. Louis, and even 
Kansas City and Chicago. Lands can 
be bought at very low prices, or can 
readily be secured on low rental. 

Gilmer, the county seat, is situated 
near the center of the county, on the St. 
Louis Southwestern Railway. It was 
founded in 1846 and has now about 1,500 
inhabitants. It has several churches, a 
commodious public school building, with 
165 pupils, a weekly newspaper, a large 
brick court-house, and many attractive 
residences. Most of the business houses 
are built of brick and have been erected 
within the last three years. The town 
also contains a private bank and some 
sixteen or seventeen mercantile houses. 
The leading enterprise is a sawmill, with 
a daily capacity of 75,000 feet. In con- 
nection with this mill is a tramway eight 
miles in length. The shipments from 
this mill in 1895 amounted to 1,000 car 
loads of lumber. There are four other 
saw and shingle mills convenient to Gil- 
mer. The shipments of cotton from the 
town last year amounted to 4,000 bales. 

Big Sandy, in the southern part of 
the county, forms the crossing point of 
the St. Louis Southwestern and Texas & 
Pacific railways. It is 15 miles southwest 
of Gilmer. It has two churches, good 
public schools, three hotels, a steam gin, 
grist mills and sawmills. Population, 
about 350. 

La Fayette is a small village, 15 miles 
northeast of Gilmer. It was settled in 
1820 and has 200 inhabitants. The vil- 
lage has a grist mill, cotton gin, a church 
and a district school. 

The other villages in the county are: 
Bettie. population 284; Coffeeville, popu- 
lation 153; Simpsonville, population 173, 
and Calloway, population 103. 




Scene in Upshur County. 



imioob Count)?, 'S^eias. 



WOOD COUNTY is in the north- 
eastern part of the State, and is 
separated from Smith County, 
adjoining it on the south, by the Sabine 
River. The area of the county is 702 
square miles. It was organized in 1850. 
Mineola, the largest town and shipping 
point in the county, is on the Texas & 
Pacific Railway, 80 miles east of Dal- 
las, and is also the terminus of the Tyler 
& Mineola Branch of the International 
& Great Northern Railroad. 

The county is heavily wooded and gen- 
erally level. Except where the land has 
been cleared for cultivation, the entire 
area is covered with a heavy growth of 
timber, consisting of several varieties of 
oak, hickory, walnut, mulberry and pine. 
The pineries, extending over the east half 
of the county, furnish large supplies of 
lumber of superior quality, and main- 
tain a considerable number of sawmills. 

The Sabine River, Caney, Lake Fork, 
Big Sandy, Glade, Pattons and Stout 
Creeks afford running water in abun- 
dance to all parts of the county. Water 
in ample supply and of good quality, is 
obtained from springs and wells. 

The annual rainfall is above 45 inches, 
and is usually so well distributed as to 
insure a reasonable certainty of making 
good crops. Nearly the entire area is 
arable and available for most varieties of 
standard crops. The prevailing soils are 
red and chocolate -colored loams, some 
smaller areas consisting of stiff tenacious 
soil. These occur on fiat surfaces, and 
require some drainage preparatory to 
cultivation. Most of the soils of the 
county are fairly productive, and yield 
one year with another from % to ^ bales 
of cotton ; 20 to 25 bushels of corn ; 10 
to 16 bushels of wheat; 35 bushels of 
oats; 18 bushels of rye, and 16 bushels 
of barley to the acre. Sweet potatoes 
yield aljout 200 bushels. Peas, peanuts, 
millet, etc., yield abundantly, and the 
same may be said of vegetables of all 
kinds. The soils seem to be very well 
adapted to fruits, and few localities can 
excel in quality the peaches, early 
apples, pears, plums, figs, grapes, etc., 
grown here. Wild fruits like grapes, 
dewberries, blackberries, etc., are quite 
abundant in the forests. The county 
has an unusually good mast from year to 
year. 

Owing to the density of the forests, 
the open pasturage is not as good as in 
some other counties, and during the 
winter months cattle and other live stock 



need more or less feeding, an exception 
being made as to hogs, which find a 
most abundant mast in the forests. The 
climate and temperature as a rule are 
pleasant and agreeable, being about the 
same as in all the counties lying between 
the Trinity and Sabine Rivers. 

The railway mileage in the county is 
49.33 miles — the Texas & Pacific Rail- 
way, which crosses the lower part of the 
county, the Missouri, Kansas & Texas 
Railway, the Sherman, Shreveport & 
Southern Railway, and the International 
& Great Northern Railway. 

Mineola is a flourishing town, situated 
at the junction of the Texas & Pacific, 
International & Great Northern, and 
Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railways, 
having a population of 2,071. It con- 
tains a bank, 5 or 6 churches, a high 
school, a number of substantial business 
blocks, a cannery, a weekly newspaper, 
a furniture factory, and several good 
hotels. Quitman, the county seat, has 
307 inhabitants; Winnsborough, 388, 
and Hawkins, 227. Chalybeate Springs, 
on the East Line & Red River Railway, 
are a noted health resort, famous for the 
curative properties of their waters in 
various chronic ailments. The assessed 
values of taxable property for 1894 are 
given at $2,698,190. The school census 
gives 3,370 children of scholastic age, 
and 61 school houses; 69 teachers are 
employed. The number of farms in the 
county is officially reported for 1894 at 
1,375, comprising 43,855 acres. The 
yield of the farms for 1894 was reported 
to be 10,351 bales of cotton, 369,193 
bushels of corn, 51,780 bushels of oats 
and wheat, 28,599 bushels of sweet 
potatoes, 35,800 gallons of molasses and 
syrup, and 5,176 tons of cotton seed, the 
whole valued at |546,143. The value of 
the orchard and garden products is 
about $35,000. 

The live stock interest is valued at 
$286,406, and consists of 4,877 horses 
and mules; 11,921 cattle; 1,632 sheep; 
605 goats, and 17,444 hogs. 

The industrial pursuits of the county 
run mainly in the manufacture of lum- 
ber, railroad ties, etc., there being about 
17 saw mills at work. The other enter- 
prises are 1 bank, 81 mercantile houses, 
1 flour mill, 2 fire-brick and tile fac- 
tories, 1 cannery and furniture factory, 
and the repair shops of the railways at 
Mineola. Improved lands can be had at 
prices ranging from $5 to $25 per acre ; 
unimproved, from $2 to $10 per acre. 



Dan XanU County, 'Jleiae. 



THIS county is bounded on the east 
by the Neches River, and on the 
north by the Sabine River. It was 
named in honor of Isaac Van Zandt, 
Minister to the United States during the 
Texas Republic. It was formed in 1848, 
and was before that time part of Hender- 
son. The area is 840 square miles, and 
it had in 1890, 16,225 inhabitants. The 
people of this county are largely engaged 
in farming, some l,6vlS farms being in 
cultivation in 1894. The acreage culti- 
vated was 77,517 acres, and the harvest 
obtained amounted to 13,960 bales of 
cotton, 635,820 bushels of corn, 29,973 
bushels of wheat, 220,336 bushels of 
oats, 57,674 bushels of Irish and sweet 
potatoes, 23,560 bushels of peas, 3,000 
tons of ha)', 600 barrels of sugar, 530 l)ar- 
rels of molasses, 6,980 tons of cotton seed ; 
the whole crop being valued at |1,012,- 
964. Considerable attention is given to 
fruit growing and gardening, there being 
some 2,870 acres in cultivation yielding 
a money value of $86,354. The assessed 
values for 1894 amounted to |3, 493, 359. 
Improved lands sell for $5 to jf20 per 
acre; unimproved for $2 to $10 per acre. 

The county maintains 95 school houses 
and employs 181 teachers to accommo- 
date a school population of 4,638. 

Wills Point, on the Texas & Pacific 
Railway, the only railway in the county, 
is the largest town, and had, in 1890, 
1,025 inhabitants. It contains 9 churches, 
3 public schools. Wills Point Institute, 
2 banks, 2 good hotels, cotton gins, 
sash, door and blind factory, a weekly 
newspaper, several good business blocks, 
and does a fairly large business in cot- 
ton, hides, grain, hay, live stock and 
fruits. The other towns in the county 
are: Canton, the county seat, population 
421; Edom, population 321, and Edge- 
wood, po])ulation 108. 

Grand Saline is a station on the Texas 
& Pacific Railway, and at this point are 
several extensive salt works, from which 
a large part of Texas is supplied. The 
salt deposits are said to underlie several 
square miles of territory and to be of 
exceptional purity. 

There is a large per cent of high grade 
live stock in the countj-, the value of same 



for 1894 being asses.sed at $463,135. There 
are in the county, 8,480 head of horses 
and mules, 19,581 head of cattle, 1,788 
head of sheep, 908 goats and 23,526 hogs. 

The ordinary yield of crops one year 
with another is one-fourth to two-thirds 
bale of cotton, 25 to 30 l)ushels of corn, 
10 to 15 bushels of wheat, 40 bushels of 
oats, 35 bushels of barley, 90 to 100 
bushels of Irish potatoes, 200 bushels of 
sweet potatoes, 250 to 300 gallons of sor- 
ghum syrup, and 2 to 3 tons of millet to the 
acre. Vegetables yield well, and where 
proper attention has been given to fruit 
growing the results were satisfactory. 
Early apples and peaches are grown in 
large quantities, and good results are 
obtained from small fruits. The average 
annual rainfall is about 40 inches and is 
fairly well distributed. 

The general surface of the county is 
rolling, and about two-thirds of the 
county are wood land, the remaining 
third being open prairie. The wooded 
portion is covered with a heavy growth 
of post oak, hickory, -ash, walnut, black- 
jack, pecan, cottonwood, gum, pine, etc. 
Much of it is large enough to maintain 
several saw mills. The county is well 
drained by the tributaries of the Sabine, 
Trinity and Neches Rivers. Most of 
the creeks afford water all year round, 
as but few go dry in midsummer. Good 
water for domestic uses can be obtained 
from wells at a depth of 20 to 40 feet, 
and such are in general use. On some 
of the prairies cisterns are used where 
there is an excess of lime in the water 
or soil. About nine-tenths of the sur- 
face of the county is good farming land. 
A small part of the east half is a rich, 
red land, the southern and middle part 
a gra}-, loamy soil, while the northern 
part is generally a black, hog- wallow 
land, alternating with patches of black, 
sandy soil. Along most of the streams is a 
light, mellow alluvium. The prairie 
lands afford fairly good i)asturage where 
not in cultivation, and will keep stock in 
good condition the greater part of the 
year. As in all the other counties in 
this part of the State, stock raising is not 
carried on as a separate pursuit, but forms 
part of ordinary farming operations. 




Lone Star Salt Co.. Graxd Saline, Texas. 




Ikaufman Countp,Xrcxa0. 

THIS county was created from Hen- 
derson County in 1848, and adjoins 
Dallas County on the east. It is 
in the black waxy region of Texas, has an area of 832 
square miles, and 21,598 inhabitants. About two-thirds 
of the county is highly productive farming land, consist- 
ing in the main of gently -rolling prairies, broken at 
intervals by forests of several varieties of oak, hickory, 
bois d'arc, pecan and elm, the timbered area comprising 
about one-third of the whole. The soils are a black, 
tenacious lime land, a dark loam, and red and gray 
sandy loams. The east fork of Trinity river, and Cedar, 
King and Big Brushy creeks, constitute the drainage of the 
county, and distribute an unfailing water supply. Good 
v\ells are numerous, and on many farms are artificial ponds 
and tanks for stock water. Cisterns are also used in some 
irts of the county. 

Kaufman County is in the heart of the wheat-growing por- 

DU of Texas, but is very well adapted to diversified farming. 

Cotton produces ordinarily per acre from 600 to 1,000 

])ounds in the seed; of corn, 25 to 40 bushels; of wheat, 

12 to 18 bushels; of oats, 40 to 60 bushels; of barley, 30 to 

^0 bushels; sorghum syrup, 100 to 150 gallons; hay, l)-2 

to 2 tons. All vegetables yield handsomely, and peaches, 

early apples and pears are successfully grown on the 

sandy lands. 

The native grasses are very valuable both for pastur- 
age and for hay, and considerable hay is exported to 
other parts of the State. There are a number of large 
pastures and stock farms, but, compared with the acre- 
age in cultivation, they occupy but little space in the 
county. Much of the live stock is raised 
almost entirely on the range, but in winter, 
feeding, to a greater or lesser extent, has been 
found advantageous. The cattle and hogs of 
this and the adjoining counties are 
considered the best in the State in 
point of high grade and purity of 
stock-breeds. The live stock in the county was assessed 
_, in 1894 at 12,274 head of horses and mules, 20,434 head 

?.:-^ of cattle, 64 jacks and jennets, 523 sheep, 148 goats, and 
' W,:i^:4 - ■' i 11,214 head of hogs, the entire 

stock being valued at 1607,036. 
The people are chiefly en- 
gaged in farming, the raising of 
stock being a secondary con- 
sideration. There are 1,705 
farms in the county, which 
comprise 106,571 acres, and 
yielded in 1894 the following 
returns: 23,408 bales of cotton, 
740,476 bushels of corn, 227,847 
bushels of small grain, 13,902 
bushels of Irish and sweet po- 
tatoes, 15,039 tons of hay, 11,704 tons of cotton seed, the same being valued at 
11,524,305. The products of the orchard and garden are valued at |44,070. 

Nearly all the American churches have organizations in the county, and all the 
advantages of social life common to a fairly well-settled locality in the older States 
are found here. The county school population is 4,696, for whose benefit 85 school- 





VlEWS IN Tkrrell.— 1. state Insane Asylum. 2, Residence of N. B. Martin. 3, Bonner Mills, 
4, Weighing Cotton. .S, Loading. 6, Water Tower. 7, Cotton Compress. 8, Business .Street. 




houses are maintained, and 
88 teachers are employed. 
The assessed valuations for 
1894 amounted to |6, 858, 349. 
Improved lands sell from |)15 
' ■' to $25 per acre, unimproved 

from $5 to |15. 

The close proximity of the county to 
as large a city as Dallas, gives a fine 
market for everything that a farmer can 
raise or produce, and no better locality in 
the State can be found for locating small 
farms. Lands can be bought cheaply, or 
leased on easy terms, either sharing, or 
rental, crops area certainty, and the soil 
is suitable for almost anything that is 
cultivated in the South. 

The value of the products of Kaufman 
County for 1894, $1,524,305, was more 
than $72.00 per capita for every individ- 
ual in the county, and from this some 
idea can be formed of what could be 
earned if the cultivation of the more 
valuable crops — fruits, vegetables, etc., 
were increased. Fine stock-raising 
could be profitably engaged in. 

The principal towns are : Kaufman, 
the county seat, popt;lation, 1,282; Cran- 
dall, population, 251; Forney, popula- 
tion, 811; Terrell, population, 2,988; 
Kemp, population, 355 ; Prairieville, 



population, 206 ; 
Klmo, population, 
518; Lawndale, 
population, 2 64 ; 
and Lawrence, 
population, 176. 
The business en- 
terprises in the 
county consist of 5 
banks, with a joint 
cai)italof$260,700; 
100 mercantile 
establishments, 2 
flour mills, 2 saw 
mills, 1 ice factory, 
1 canning factor}-, 
and numerous others. The Texas & 
Pacific Railway crosses the northern 
portion of the county from east to we.st; 
the Texas Midland Railway passes from 
the south-east corner to the north-west 
corner, and the Texas Trunk Railway 
enters the county on the west, crossing 
the Texas Central Railway at Kaufman. 
The roads have a combined mileage of 
91 miles. 

Terrell, the largest town in the county, 
is situated on the Texas & Pacific Rail- 
way, 32 miles east of Dallas. It has 
seven churches, a high school, several 
graded schools, an opera hall, two 
banks, electric light plant, water works, 
an ice factory, a cotton compress, a 
flouring mill, 2 nur-series, a foundry, 
cotton gin, and 2 weekly newspapers. 
The North Texas Hospital for the 
Insane, a stately institution, is located 
here. The commercial business of 
Terrell consists of the handling of 
cotton, grain, flour, live stock, hides, 
wool, fruits, etc. 

Forney, also on the Texas & Pacific 
Railway, is noted for its hay and cotton 
shipments, and also does a considerable 
business in the handling of bois d'arc 
timber. It has all the conveniences 
common to a town of 1,000 inhabitants. 




Cotton Field Scene. 



(61) 




rc/tCCL 

rx cr ii 




H)alla0 County, TLcxne. 

THIS county is situated in North Texas, being one of 
the third tier of counties south of Red River. It is 
the most populous county in the State, and stands 
first in taxable values. The area is 900 square miles, and 
about three- fourths of it is high rolling prairie, rising in 
some portions to hills 200 to 300 feet in height, and again 
stretching out into broad valleys. In the southwest corner 
of the county is a range of high hills, which overlook the 
wide and beautiful valleys of Moun- 
tain Creek. The Elm and West 
Forks of the Trinity, and Mountain 
Creek, about equidistant from each 
other, flow in from the westward 
and unite their waters near the cen- 
ter of the county. There they form 
the Trinity River, which flows out 
of the county near the southeast 
corner. Along and between the 
forks of the river and on the main 
stream, as well as in several other 
portions, are found areas of timber, 
useful for fencing, fuel and other 
purposes. Bois d'arc is quite abun- 
dant, and is used extensivel}- for the 
paving of streets, wagon making 
and most other purposes for which 




a durable wood is required. The sev- 
eral streams above named have numer- 
ous tributaries which afford an unfail- 
ing supply of stock water, as well as 
effectually drain the county. Pure 
water for domestic uses is obtained in many parts from siiriiigs, as well as from 
common wells varying in depth from 18 to 50 feet. In the vicinity of and in the 
city of Dallas are numerous artesian wells, varying in depth from 300 to 1,000 feet. 
Some of these have a flow of over 300,000 gallons per diem. In some parts of the 
county cisterns are in common use; in such places there is usually an excess of lime. 
Nine-tenths of the surface of Dallas County is good farming land. The prairies 

are generally a black waxy, 
tenacious soil ; the timbered 
])ortions, a light sandy soil, 
and the river and creek bot- 
toms, a dark loam, all easily 
tilled and very productive. 

Views in Dallas. 

1, General Offices T. & P. Ry. 

2. Main Street. 
\ North Texas Huilding. 
I, Dallas Club. 
>, (irand Stand at Fair Grounds. 




In ordinary favorable seasons, under 
proper cultivation, the yield per acre is, 
of cotton one-third to three-fourths bale, 
30 bushels of corn, 15 to 20 bushels of 
wheat, 40 to 60 bushels of oats, 10 to 
15 bushels of rye, 30 to 40 bushels of 
barley and 2 tons of millet. Vegetables 
of all sorts yield handsomely and the 
spring garden cannot be excelled. 
Peaches, pears, early apples, plums, 
grapes and strawberries are profitably 
grown. Dewberries and blackberries are 
natives and yield largely. The annual 
rainfall is about 38 inches and is quite 
regular in its precipitation. 

There were, in 1894, 1,729 farms in the 
county, of which 157,768 acres were 
devoted to general crops and 885 acres 
to garden and orchard. The yield of 
general farm crops is given as follows: 
Cotton, 39,086 bales; corn, 1,389,099 
bushels; wheat, 287,578 bushels; oats, 
654,514 bushels; other grain, 3,784 bush- 
els; Irish and sweet potatoes, 21,146 
bushels; hay, 6,948 tons; cotton seed, 
19,543 tons, etc., etc., the whole crop 
being valued at $2,015,560. The value 
of orchard and garden products amounts 
to $25,110. 

The raising of fine live stock is an 
important business, and highly improved 
breeds of horses, cattle and hogs can be 
found anywhere in the county. The 
number of live stock for 1894 is given as 
follows: Horses and mules, 21,879; cat- 
tle, 25,748; jacks and jennets, 139; 
sheep, 6,146; goats, 432, and hogs, 
22,206; the value of same being 
$1,028,960. 

The county was organized in 1846 



and in 1890 had a population of 67,042. 
The assessed values for 1894 amount to 
133,404,250, the average taxable value of 
land in the county being $12.01 per acre. 
The combined railway mileage in the 
county is 207.87 miles, and is divided 
among the Texas & Pacific, the Missouri, 
Kansas & Texas, the Gulf, Colorado 6v: 
Santa Fc, the Houston & Texas Central, 
the St. Louis Southwestern, Texas Trunk 
and Lancaster Tap Railways. 

Dallas is the county seat, and, with 
its suburbs. Oak Cliff and West Dallas, 
has a population of 60,000. The other 
towns of importance are: Garland, popu- 
lation, 478; Mesquite, population, 135; 
Lancaster, population, 741; Cedar Hill, 
population, 242 ; p-armer's Branch, po])U- 
lation, 205; Hutchins, population, 116; 
Grand Prairie, population, 123; and 
Carrollton, population, 110. 

The school population of the county is 
7,353, the number of school houses 124, 
and the number of teachers employed 
152. This does not, however, include 
the public school system of Dallas. 

The city of Dallas and the county 
were named in honor of Geo. I\L Dallas, 
of Texas, one of the vice-presidents. It 
is a prosperous and rapidly growing 
city, situated at the crossing of the 
Trinity River by the Texas & Pacific 
Railway. It is 315 miles from Gal- 
veston, 515 from New Orleans, and 
from St. Louis. A mon; advan- 
tageous site for a city could 
scarcely have been selected. It 
lies upon a plateau 20 to 30 feet 
higher than the river, upon the 
right bank of which it is built. 




Dallas Coi-ntv Coi-rt House. 




The first settlement was made 
by John Neely Bryan, about the 
year 1840, on the tract of land 
on which the city is now situ- 
ated. A few j'ears later, emi- 
grants from Kentucky, 
Missouri, Tennessee and 
Illinois settled in the same 
neighborhood, and laid th 
foundation of a city that 
was to be. In 1870 it 
had a population of 700; 

in 1880, 10,267; and in 1890, with its suburbs, 41,011. S 
then the population has continued to increase in about 
same ratio. As a manufacturing and commercial center i 
perhaps, the most important in the State, being, as it is, 
rich agricultural region, well supplied with raw ma- 
terials necessary for manufacture, and having unex- 
celled facilities for the transportation and distribution 
of its products. 

The period in the history of Dallas has been 
reached, when its future is no longer doubtful. Its 
natural advantages make it a rival of the most pros- 
perous cities of the South in commercial and indus- 
trial importance. 

An estimate of the trade of the city for 1895 is not 
at this time available. It can, however, be safely 
said that it exceeds the traffic of 1890 by at least 50 per cent. The increase of 
population in the city of Dallas has been over this per cent, and that of the county 
and of the territory from which the city draws most of its trade is fully equal to 
this increase. A careful estimate of the volume of trade for 1890 gives the 
mercantile transactions as fol- 
lows: Dry goods, $7,000,000; 
groceries, 19,000,000; boots 
and shoes, |;750,000; lumber, 
#1,000,000; drugs, $1,000,000; 
agricultural implements, 
#6,000,000; musical merchan- 
dise, $300,000; jewelry, 
$200,000; sewing machines, 
$200,000; furniture, $200,000; 
produce — eggs, chickens, 
butter, etc., $500,000; bales 
of cotton, 25,000; pounds of 
wool, 60,000; pounds of hides, 
900,000; tons of cottonseed, 
12,000; bushels of corn, 





187,500; bushels of wheat, 
500,000; total, $27,781,000. 

The investments in manufac- 
turing enterprises run well into 
the millions, and within the 



Views in Dallas. 

1, Episcopal College. 2. Baptist 
Church. 3, Cumberland Hill School. 
4, San Jacinto School. 





000 and 4,000 persons whose wages will prob- 

')ly exceed $2,500,000 per annum. The value 

>f manufactured products turned out during 

the year will probably reach |7, 000, 000 or 

"",000,000 in the course of the year. 

The value of Dallas as a distributing 
point is well appreciated 
by the manufacturers of 
agricultural implements, 
machinery, wagons, etc., 
pumping machinery, wind 
mills, boilers and engines, 
in other cities, as nearly 
all important establish- 
ments in these lines have 
branch houses here, and 
many manufacturing con- 



past few years have been greatly aug- 
mented. The principal industries are 
represented by seven large flouring and 
grist mills, a very large cotton and 
woolen factory, the product of which 
finds a ready sale, wherever offered; 

1 cotton seed oil mill, 4 clothing and 
underwear factories, 1 large cotton 
compress, 1 large boot and shoe factory, 
8 saddle and harness factories, 4 cigar 
factories, 2 large foundries, 4 sheet iron 
and cornice factories, 5 large carriage and 
wagon factories, 6 planing, grooving and 
turning factories, 1 trunk factory, 3 broom 
factories, 4 cotton gin and press factories, 

2 chair and furniture factories, 1 paper 
mill, 1 paper bag factory, 2 lithograph- 
ing establishments, 1 brass foundry, 
several lime kilns, 5 pressed-brick yards, 
5 stone yards, 2 soap factories, 1 cooper- 
age and hollow -ware factory, 8 nurseries 
and green houses, 3 candy factories, 
1 coffee and spice mill, 1 soda and 
mineral water factory, 2 manufacturing 
jewelry establishments, 1 jelly and pre- 
serve factory, 2 ice factories, 1 large 
brewery, 1 spring-bed and awning fac- 
tory, 3 water works companies, in 
addition to the public water works, 
maintained by the city. Within a year 
or two past the slaughtering and packing 
of beef and pork has become a very 
important and a very large meat packery 
is in full operation. Connected with it 
are suitable smoke-houses and pickling 
vats, making it possible to turn out any 
desired quantity of hams, bacon, lard or 
refrigerated beef. In the different estab- 
lishments there are employed between 




cerns like the I.one Star Salt Wui^.-,, ..u.l 
the various lumber companies, have their 
general offices in Dallas, while their 
works are located where the raw ma- 
terial is. 

The facilities for transportation to and 
from Dallas consist of the Texas & 
Pacific Railway, Main Line, which has 
its general offices here and extends from 
New Orleans to El Paso, where connec- 
tion is made with lines leading to Mexico, 
California and all points in the south- 
west; the Dallas & Wichita Branch, 
the Dallas & Greenville Branch, and 
the Dallas & Hillsboro Branch of the 
Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railway; 
the Gulf, Colorado & Santa Pe; the 
Texas Trunk Railway, and the Hous- 
ton & Texas Central Railway. The 
Trinity River is being improved and 
made navigable to large bodies of timber 
lying below Dallas, which are being 
utilized in the manufacture of fruit boxes, 
crates, barrels, fuel, and fence posts. 
Two steamboats are used for the trans- 
portation of this material. The improve- 
ments of the river have been made at 
private expense. It is hoped that the 
river will be cleared far enough to reach 
the pineries on the river, when saw mills 
will be erected and lumber be brought to 
Dallas by water. 

The commercial value of these means of 
communication to Dallas can be readily 




Residence W. H. Abrams. 

appreciated if one will bear in mind 
that within a radius of 100 miles there 
are 34 tributary counties which produce 
one-half the cotton and about one half 
the cereals grown within the entire 
State, that most of their surplus crops 
are handled in Dallas, and that their 
supplies are obtained at the same point. 
To properly handle this enormous busi- 
ness requires a large volume of money. 
To meet this demand there are 10 banks 
having a capital and surplus exceeding 
14,000,000, and some 24 land, loan, 
mortgage and trust companies, which 
annually furnish millions of dollars for 
farm and city improvement purposes. 
Four or five building and loan associa- 
tions contribute most materially to 
supply the demand for residences. The 
city contains a great number of hand- 
some business structures and elegant 
residences, and the annual expenditures 
on new buildings will average more 
than a million, having reached $4,000,000 
in one single year. 

The streets in the city are generally 
from 80 to 120 feet in width. In the 
Inisiness portion about 
22 miles of streets are , 
paved with bois d'arc, I 
covering the same with j 
a smooth, hard surface 
of the greatest dura- 
bility. The streets in 
the residence portion 
are usually lined with 
shade trees, and are 
macadamized ; nearly 
all sidewalks are made ' 
of either stone, cement i 
or brick. Most of the 
street car lines use 
electricity, and in all 
28 miles are operated. 
The city has an excel 
lent fire department 
with the Gamewell sys 
teni of fire alarm. The 
municipal water works 



are large and complete. Good water is 
had in abundance in Dallas and its 
suburbs, for, in addition to the munic- 
ipal water supply, there are 3 water 
companies, and 20 or 30 large artesian 
wells owned by individuals. These wells 
vary in depth from 750 to 1,000 feet 
and have a daily flow varying from 
100 000 to 350,000 gallons. The police 
department is thoroughly organized and 
effective, and no city is more orderly 
than Dallas. City parks, hospitals, 
2 large natatoriums, a gymnasium, and 
a German athletic society, numerous 
charitable and benevolent societies, add 
materially to the general sanitary con- 
dition of the city and the comfort of its 
inhabitants. The social, literary and 
professional societies number 92, and of 
church buildings there are 36, repre- 
senting all known denominations. The 
public school system of Dallas is worthy 
of special mention. It consists of 20 
elegant and roomy buildings, in which 
63 white and 15 colored teachers are 
employed; 5,755 pupils being annually 
enrolled. These schools are public and 
free to all resident children between 
8 and 18 years of age. In addition to 
the public school system the city has 24 
private schools, with some 60 teachers. 
There are also a number of musical and 
art studios, telegraphic, short-hand and 
commercial schools. Among the higher 
grades of private educational under- 
takings may be mentioned St. Mary's 
Institute for young ladies, erected and 
maintained under the auspices of the 
Protestant Episcopal Church ; the Ursu- 
line Academy, under the management of 
the Ursuline Ladies, is a well-known 
institution that offers educational facil- 




rksipencb 





ities of a high order. The Fort Worth 
and Dallas business Colleges, Hobson's 
Phonographic Institute and Hill's Busi- 
ness College are well and favorably 
known throughout the State. A club 
house, costing |88,000; an opera 
house, costing |il25,000; a merchants 
exchange, a city hall, costing $83,000; 
a court house, costing $350,000, are 
some of the more conspicuous build- 
ings. The Oriental Hotel, costing 
$600,000, is the finest structure of 
its kind in the Southwest. It 
covers an entire city block, and is 
a handsome six-story brick edifice of 
the Renaissance style of architec- 
ture. The furnishings are com- 
plete in every detail, and the build- 
ing is heated throughout with steam 
and lighted by electricity ; a fine 
artesian well over 800 feet deep 
supplies all the water used in the 
house. The location of the hotel is 
convenient to all railway stations, the 
Opera House, the numerous handsome 
churches, the post office and all the 
principal street car lines. The Grand 
Windsor, St. James, McLeod, are al' 
well and favorabh' known hotels. 

The headquarters of the Texas State 
Fair and Dallas Exposition are also in ; 
Dallas. It covers 120 acres, with all | 



buildings, such as 
horticultural hall, a machinery 
hall, a general main building, 
etc. ; about 5 miles of graveled 
drives, walks, stalls for thousands 
of head of live stock, etc. The 
race track is unsurpassed any- 
where. These and other improve- 
ments have cost over half a 
million, but they are appreciated 
by the people of the State, as the annual 
attendance to the fair is generally from 
200,000 to 400,000 people. The press of 
Dallas is rrinc-sciitLMl \)\ _'s ntw -]>,i])cts 




and j«,>ui nals, J >il wIik li- 
the 3/or?i!/iQ- iVfU's and 
the Titnes - Herald — 
are dailies. 





Views in Dallas 



1, \V J. Lemp Brewing: Co. Ice & Cold 

StoraKC. 

2, Dallas Coinpres.s. 

3, Trinity Cotton Oil Co. 

4, E. O. Stanard Milling Co. 

5, Lone Star Klevator. 




Fori Worth Iron Works. 



ITarrant County, TLcxne. 



THIS county lies between Dallas and 
Parker Counties, in North Texas, 
in latitude 32 degrees 15 minutes 
north, and west longitude 97 degrees 15 
minutes, and Fort Worth, its county 
seat, is one of the principal cities of 
Texas. It has ample railway facilities, 
being traversed by eight different lines, 
namely, the Texas & Pacific, the St. 
Louis Southwestern, the Fort Worth & 
Rio Grande, the Fort Worth & Denver 
City, the Gulf Colorado & Santa Fe, the 
Missouri, Kansas & Texas, the Fort 
Worth & New Orleans, and the Chicago, 
Rock Island & Pacific Railways. The 
population of the county for 1890 is 
given at 41,142, an increase of 16,471 
over the previous census. The popula- 
tion of Fort Worth in 1890 was 23,076, 
and that of the other towns in the 
county as follows : Arlington, 664; Grape- 
vine, 442; Mansfield, 418; Birdville, 107; 
Dido, 112; Handley, 156. The assessed 
values of taxable property in 1894 
amounted to 119,897,700. Improved 




lands range in price from $15 to $40 per 
acre, and unimproved lands can be had 
at prices ranging from $5 to |25 per 
acre. There are 98 county schools with 
103 teachers, and a school population 
of 4,223. 

About four- fifths of the land in the 
county is tillable and highly fertile, the 
remaining one-fifth being of inferior 
quality and suitable mainly for pasturage. 
The west Fork of Trinity River enters 
the county at the northwest corner, 
curves southward to the center and flows 
out near the middle of the eastern line; 
along its course on both sides are rocky 
knolls and bluffs, from which there is a 
gradual ascent into high, rolling, open 
country. Near the center of the county 
the Clear Fork of the Trinity flows in 
from the southwest, and about one -half 
the land between the two streams is 
covered with a shallow soil resting on 
beds of limestone that crop out in rocky 
bluffs. The bottoms bordering on the 
west Fork of the Trinity are well drained, 
free from 
marshes and 
covered with a 
heavy growth 
of timber, con- 
sisting of sev- 
eral kinds of 
oak, ash, 
pecan, hack- 
berry, cotton- 
wood, etc. 
R u n n i n g 
north and 
south through 
the eastern 
edge of the 
county, is a 
belt of wood- 
land, ten to 
twelve miles 
wide, known 



Main Street, i-uui wouin. 



as the lower Cross Timbers, consisting 
mainly of post oak, blackjack and 
hickory. About two-fifths of the county 
is covered with timber, very little of 
which is merchantable. 

Besides the two rivers mentioned, 
there are numerous smaller streams, 
which drain the county and afford water 
for stock. There are a few springs, and 
ordinary wells are obtained at a depth of 
16 to 40 feet. In Fort Worth and the 
country adjacent, are several hundred 
artesian wells, ranging in depth from 200 
to 2,500 feet, several of the deeper wells 
having a prodigious flow. 

The soil of the Cross Timbers is a red 
sandy loam ; that east of the timber, a 
black waxy lime land, and that west, 
light sandy soils, with occasional areas 
of black waxy or black sandy soils. 
Along the valleys of the Trinity and 
other streams, the soil is a strong allu- 
vial ; north of the Trinity and beyond 
the bottom lands, the soil is a deep 
black loam. Much of this 
part of the county is in a high 
state of cultivation, and 
the high rolling prairies 
south of the west Fork 
of the Trinity, the soil 
of which is a deep red- 
dish loam, easily tilled, 
and very productive, are 




proper culture. The rapid development 
of the agricultural interests and the 
opening up of new farms, has reduced 
the raising of live stock to an auxiliary 
of farming operations, the same being 
practically no longer a distinct pursuit. 
Most of the herds of range cattle have 
been driven west, making room for 
better breeds without diminishing aggre- 
gate values. While there is considerable 
good pasturage, it is now found profit- 
able to feed stock, especially so during 
the w'inter months. 

The live stock for 1894 was assessed 
as follows: Horses and mules, 16,874; 
cattle, 23,221; jacks and jennets, 178; 
sheep, 376; goats, 309; hogs, 12,223; the 
whole valued at |601,445. 

The number of farms in cultivation, 
reported for 1894, are 1,182, comprising 
192,208 acres, and producing the follow- 
ing crops: 11,898 bales of cotton; 702,130 
bushels of corn; 318,930 l)ushels of 
wheat; 459,361 bushels of oats; 5,449 
bushels of rye ; 
16,351 bushels of 
Irish and 
sweet pota- 
toes; 6,289 
tons of 
hay; 5,949 
tons of cot- 
ton seed, 
etc., the 
same val - 
ued at $1,135,923. 
The value of 
orchard and garden pro- 
ducts is given at |41,399. 

Fort Worth is situated in the exact 
center of Tarrant County, of which 
it is the judicial seat. It occupies a 
high rolling platform some 640 feet in 
altitude a1)ove sea level. It has excel- 
lent natural drainage, and is one of the 
healthiest cities in the State. It is 
253 miles southwest of Texarkana, 32 
miles west of Dallas, and 95 miles 
southwest of Denison. In 1849, a 




almost entirely enclosed in a contin- 
uous succession of well-tilled farms. 

Until within recent years cotton and 
live stock were the engrossing pursuits 
of the inhabitants, but within the last 
decade more attention is paid to diver- 
sified farming, and wheat, corn and 
fine grades of stock are more relied 
on as sources of profit. The soils of 
the county are admirably adaj^ted to 
the growth of cereals of all kinds, as 
well as cotton, and of the various 
fruits; they yield good returns under 



Views in Fort Worth.— 1, .Stock Yards 
Exchanse and Hotel. 2, Fort Worth Stock 
Yards. 3, Fort Worth Packing Cotiipany- 




U. S. military post was established here 
by Brev. Major Arnold, who named the 
post Fort Worth, in honor of Gen. Wm. 
J. Worth, who was then Commandant of 
the district. 

It is a vigorous, enterprising and suc- 
cessful commercial and manufacturing 
point, having enjoyed a steady and uni- 



pounds of hides, 600,000 bushels of corn, 
2,850,000 bushels of wheat, and 111,000 
head of live stock. 

In the matter of railway transporta- 
tion, F6rt Worth is exceptionally well 
provided, as the following named lines 
form a junction here: The Texas & 
Pacific Railway main line passes through 




Cameron Milling Comtauy, Fort Worth. 



form growth for a number of consecutive 
years. It has long been the distributing 
point for the live stock trade of the vast 
territory west and northwest of it, and 
more recently it has added to its already 
large business the enormous grain trade 
of the Texas Panhandle. 

In 1876, Fort Worth had 1,123 inhabit- 
ants, and in that year the Texas & 
Pacific Railway was built to it. Ten 
years later it had grown to be a country 
town of 5,500 inliabitants, and at the 
present time it is a flourishing commer- 
cial, manufacturing and railroad center 
of over 40,000 inhabitants. 

Some idea of the magnitude of its 
commercial transactions may be obtained 
from the estimates of 1S92, no later data 
being, at this time, available, though an 
all-around increase in business of 33^3 
per cent would ]>robal)ly approximate 
the sum total of actual business transac- 
tions for 1895. The estimated mercantile 
transactions for 1892 amounted to 
16,425,000 in dry goods, |8, 120,000 
in groceries, $78,000 in hardware, 
$90,000 in lumber, $1,000,000 in 
agricultural implements, $500,000 
in furniture; $75,000 in jewelrv, 
and garden produce $250,000. The 
products of the county handled by 
the merchants of Fort Worth were 
estimated at 13,000 bales of cotton, 
300,000 pounds of wool, 700,000 



the city on its way from New Orleans 
and Texarkana to El Paso; the Trans- 
continental Branch, extending from Tex- 
arkana by way of Paris and Sherman to 
Fort Worth, joins the main line here. 
The St. Louis Southwestern Railway 
has here the terminus of its Fort Worth 
and Greenville Branch. It is 
also the initial point for the 
Fort Worth & Rio Grande Rail- 
way, the Fort Worth & Denver 
City Railway, and the southern 
terminus of the Chicago, Rock 
Island & Pacific Railway. The 
main line of the Missouri, Kan- 
sas & Texas Railway also passes 
through Fort Worth. A branch 
of the Houston & Texas Central 
Railway extends from Fort Worth 
to Garrett, Texas. Three of these 
railways have shops at Fort 
Worth, where a considerable 
number of men are employed. 




Fort Worth Water Works. 




few of which flow 



r 



about 40 miles 
of electric 
street car lines 
in operation, 
affording ex- 
cellent means of quick and 
transportation within the city 
graded and macadamized streets there 
are about 100 miles, which are kept in 
perfect condition. Most of them are 
Ijordered by sidewalks, constructed 
either of flagging, brick or cement. 
In the residence parts of town they are 
generally shaded by rows of trees. 

The water supply of the city is ob- 
tained from about 300 artesian wells, a 
as much as 300,000 gallons per day. They vary in depth 
from 114 to 2,000 feet. The deep wells are strong in their 
flow, and permanent. The shallow wells, which used to 
discharge freely, are now generally pumped. The water 
obtained is sweet, wholesome, and very pure. One of the 
many attractions is the Natatorium, a structure admirably 
fitted up in every way, and containing a large swimming 
pool. The Municipal Waterworks secure their water from 
the Clear Fork of the Brazos, and have an elaborate system 
of dams, pumps, mains, and hydrants, bringing all parts of 
the city within the limits of lire protection. 

The public buildings, in number, size and style, 
rank with those of any other city of its age in the 
country. Of the 19 churches, some are magnificent 
structures, and the Board of Trade, Club, and 
Library buildings are among the best in the State. 

The public school system of Fort Worth, under 
municipal control, is worthy of the local praise 
bestowed upon it. There are 4,219 pupils enrolled, 
and, for their comfort and education, 18 large and 
modern school buildings are maintained. 70 teach- 
ers are employed in these schools. 

There are also a large numlier of private schools, 
and the Fort Worth University, an 
educational institution justly famous - — 
in all parts of the State. 

The cit}' is lighted by electricity, 
the electric light plant and the water 
works l)eing the property of the city. 
The fire department is equal to the 
times, has all modern appliances for 
fire fighting, and a very complete 
electric alarm system. The police 
department will compare favorably 
with that of any other cit}' of 
ecjual population. The natural 
drainage of the city is excellent 
but with the 60 miles of sewers 
already constructed, little more 
can be desired in regard to 
sanitary arrangements 





, ; ; W ah HiKh .School; J. Citv 
iiiiii. v iai 1 ant County Court House; 
4, Board of Trade Building; 5. Hurley 
Office Building; 6, Hotel Worth. 




The mercantile lines are represented 
in all branches, and consist of several 
hundred establishments. The local 
banking capital exceeds $5,000,000, and 
is, divided^ 
among seven f 
banks. In ad- 
dition to these 
are quite a 
number of loan 
and mortgage 
companies, 
and several 
building and 
loan associa- 
tions. 

The city has 
a hundred oi 
more of large i 
and smaller in 
dustrial enter- 
prises. Many of the fac- 
tories should have especial 
description, but such 
would require more space 
than can be allowed for the purpose. 
The principal enterprises are the gas 
works, an arc electric light plant, 5 grain 
elevators, capacity 850,000 bushels; 4 
roller mills, capacity 1,500 barrels 
♦. of flour per day; two stock 

yards, more fully de- 
scribed below ; several 
ice factories, a 
stove foundry, a 
moss collar 
factory , a 
windmill 
and 



pump and general water-supply imple- 
ment company, several large agricultural 
implement houses; boot and shoe, jute 
bagging, cracker, excelsior, awning and 
, _ ^ _^ tent, baking 
""] powder, 
wagon, car- 
ri age, an d 
woven wire 




1, Dairy Scene 
near Ft. Worth. 

2, Watermelon 
Farm. 

3, M a k i n i^ 
Hay, 

4, Thre.shing 
Wheat. 




and cot 

factories, one of 
the most extensive brew- 
eries in the State, two tanneries, 
several lithographing establishments, 39 
jobbing houses, and a woollen factory. 
The press is represented by two daily 
newspapers, the Fort Worth Gazette ^^w^ 
The Mail, and by a dozen or more of 
weekly and monthly publications. 

The hotel accommodations of Fort 
Worth 




respect excellent, and two or three of 
the hotels in Fort Worth will compare 
favorably with any in the Southwest. 

Ube fort imortb lUnion 
StocI? 15ar&s 

Has over 500 acres of ground, a larger 
tract of land than that owned by any 
stock yards in the West for similar pur- 
poses, and one that for drainage, con- 
venience of location, and railroad 
shipping facilities, could not be im- 
proved on. There are ample yards, pens 
and sheds, and a commodious building 
for a hotel, live stock exchange, and 
offices of commission merchants. A 
good market is here established for 
cattle, hogs, sheep, horses and mules. 
Owing to the native pasturage the year 
through, and the mild winters and small 
expense of raising cattle, they can here 
be produced and fattened for market 25 
per cent cheaper than in any State, and 
50 per cent cheaper than in many States, 
and it can be established as a fact that 
50 bushels of corn will finish and fatten 
a steer in Texas as well as 80 bushels in 
the latitude of Chicago and Omaha. 

Texas is the only State producing both 
corn and cotton seed in large enough 
quantities to justify extensive feeding 
and fattening on those products. Cotton 
seed is easily preserved, cheap to handle, 
and makes an excellent quality of 
beef. Cattle can be shipped from 
Fort Worth direct to New York 
as quick and as cheap as from 
Central Kansas or 
Nebraska. Fort 
Worth has for many 
years been the live 
stock center of Texas 
and the entire South- 
west, as more men, 
raising, feeding, 
shipping, or dealing 
in cattle, live or do 
business in Fort 
Worth, than in any 
other citv or town in 



the United States, and the location of 
the stock yards and packing house here 
more fully establishes her position as 
headquarters for the owners of the 
7,000,000 cattle of Texas, which is over 
one-seventh of all the cattle in the 
United States. 

XTbe foxt "moxtb pachimi 
Ibouse. 

The largest institution of its kind in 
the South, and the most extensive south 
of St. Louis and Kansas City, is now in 
active operation, and represents in 
ground, buildings, machinery and work- 
ing capital, an outlay of over $600,000, 
and has a daily capacity of 1,500 hogs, 
and 250 cattle. No longer can it be said 
that our hogs are shipped to Chicago or 
Kansas City, and sent back in the form 
of lard, hams and bacon, the cost of 
shipping the live animals having l)een 
deducted from the price the producer 
should receive, _ 
and the con- ll 
s u m e r 
having 
to pay 
the ex- 




tra cost of shipment of 
the manufactured pro- 
duct. The people of 
Texas consume each 
year over $21,000,000 



1. Res. W. Scott. 

2. Res. C. H. Silliraan. 

^, Hill street Resklences. 




worth of manufactured 
pork products, and not 
more than one-fifth of 
the pork consumed in 
Texas is prodiiced 
from home-grown 
hogs, which is ex- 
plained by the fact 
that until the Fort 
Worth Packing 
House was established 
there was no market in 
the State for the consump 
tion of live hogs. It is 
established fact that owing 
to our freedom from cold 
winter weather that checks 
the growth of hogs, a Texas 
raised hog, eight months 
old, weighs as much as 
an Iowa or Nebraska 
hog at ten months. 
The farmer living in this 
vicinity has the advantage of 
being able to produce hogs ready for 
market 25 per cent cheaper than in the 
North, and get in Fort Worth better 
prices than by shipping to any other 
markets, and if he lives in Tarrant 
County, or within hauling or driving 
distance of the Union Stock Yards, he 
has the further advantage of having no 
railroad freight to pay, and losing noth- 
ing by shrinkage in weight caused by 
shipping a long distance. This success- 
ful starting of the industry has attracted 




the attention of prominent meat 
packers of New York and Chi- 
cago, who, it is expected, will 
erect additional packing houses 
here close to the breeding and 
feeding grounds. Ar- 
rangements are pend- 
ing for the exporting 
of dressed and refrig- 
erated meats direct 
from Fort Worth to 
Europe by the way of 
Galveston and New 
Orleans. 

The county gov- 
ernment of Tarrant 
County has appreci- 
ated the value 
- and import- 
ance of having 
good roads, 
and many fine 
wagon roads, well 
graded, bridged and 
ditched, radiate from Fort Worth to 
nearly all portions of the county. Over 
90 miles of good graded roads have been 
completed within the past three years, and 
a considerable additional mileage is now 
under construction. This improvement 
has made quite a difference in receipts at 
Ft. Worth. Farmers have increased their 
products because of the facilities with 
which they can get them into market. 

Views in Ft. Worth— 4, Northern Methodist 
Church. 5, First Baptist Church. 




Truck Farm, T.-\rrant County. 



/^ 




Views 
Near Wbatherford. 

1, Ranch House. 

2, Cotton Picking. 

3, Wheat Harvesting 



Iparl^cr Count\>, 'Clcxae 



THIS county was formed from Na- 
varro and Bosque counties in 1855, 
It was named in honor of the Par- 
ker family of Fort Parker, in Limestone 
County. Weatherford, the county seat, 
is 32 miles west of Fort Worth by the 
line of the Texas & Pacific Railway. 

The topography of the county can 
perhaps be best described as follows : It 
has an area of 900 square miles, or 
576,000 acres. The Brazos River flows 
through the southwestern part of the 
county for a distance of fifty miles by 
the course of the stream, and the Clear 
Fork of the Trinity flows diagonally 
across it from northwest to southeast. 
These streams have numerous tributaries, 
some of which carry water all year 
round, while others dry out during the 
summer months. Some of these streams 
head within half mile of each other and 
flow in different directions to the Trinity 
and Brazos Rivers. Some of them are 
fed by hundreds of springs of pure and 
cool water. The very best water for 
household uses is usually supplied from 
wells, which can be made at any desired 
place at a depth of from 18 to 40 feet. 
In the vicinity of Springtown, in the 
northern part of the county, artesian 
wells from 100 to 250 feet in depth are 
numerous. 

A large part of the county is composed 
of rolling prairies, from which steep and 
high hills frequently rise abruptlj'. Be- 
tween these hills and the streams are 
many level valleys. A belt of woodland 
from three to seven miles wide, known 
as the. Cross Timbers, extends across the 
county from southeast to northwest, with 
branches extending in various directions. 



Al>out one- 
half of the 

area of the county is 
covered with timber. 
The forest growth along 
the streams consists of 
pecan, cotton wood, elm, hackberry, ash 
and box elder, and that of the up- 
lands or cross timbers, of post oak and 
black jack. 

The soils of the Brazos bottoms — a red 
loam — are far-famed for their fertility ; 
that on most of the hills, in prairies, is 
thin and but little suited for agricultural 
purposes. Along the different creeks is 
a dark loam with a clay subsoil, usually 
carrying enough sand to scour the plow. 
The lands in the east and southeast parts 
of the county are black waxy and black 
sandy, and are especiall}' adapted to small 
grain. In the northern portion of the 
county, chocolate-colored soils predomi- 
nate. 

Most of the arable land is in cultiva- 
tion, and for the last fifteen or twenty 
years, from 10 to 20 bushels of wheat, 
40 to 60 bushels of oats, 25 to 40 bushels 
of corn, 1 to 3 tons of millet, 3 to 5 tons 
of sorghum, 34 to 1 bale of cotton have 
been produced per acre. The annual 
rainfall is about 30 inches and usuall)' 
sufficiently regular in its precipitation 
to carry crops to maturity. 

Cattle raising is to some extent car- 
ried on as a separate and distinct 
business, though it also forms part of 
ordinary farm operations. Sedge, 
gramma and niesquite grass a])Ound ; the 
latter though least abundant, being the 
most nutritious. Until within a few 






Views in 
Weatherford. 

1, Res. Palo Pinto Street. 

2, Scene in Weatherford 

3, Weatherford College. 

4, Church. 

5, Court House. 



years past ordinary 
range stock received 
no feed in winter, but 
now a large business has 
developed in the fat- 
tening of beef. Cotton 
seed, meal and hulls, is extensively used 
for this purpose. 

The population, numbering 21,682 in 1890, 

is made up of substantial and well-to-do 

farmers and stock raisers. The county is generally 

exempt from serious sickness of any kind, being ex- 

ceptionalh' well drained, and the standard of health is as 

high as anywhere in the State. 

Coal exists in the western part of the county, but has been 

only partially developed. White, red and brown sandstone, 

and white and gray limestone of super- 

ility, fire clay and potter's clay 

o abundant. 

county is traversed by the Texas 
ific Railway, the Gulf, Colorado & 
- T Santa Fe Railway, and 

the Weatherford, Mineral 
Wells & Northwestern 
Railway, their combined 
mileage being 70. 78 miles. 
The assessed valuations 
of taxable property in the 
county in 1894 amounted 
to 16,263,895. Improved 
lands sell at prices rang- 
ing from f 10 to $30 per 
acre, unimproved lands 
it $5 to |;12 per acre, 
xcepting pasture lands, 
which may be had cheap- 
er. The city of Weather- 
ford has a very complete municipal school system; that of the county consists of 
98 teachers, operating 90 schools and taking care of 4,746 ptipils. All churches 
common to the United States are well represented in the county. 

General farmitig, fruit and truck-growing and the raising of live stock 
are the principal pursuits of the inhabitants. The number of farms in the 
county in 1894 is given at 1,560. The acreage in cultivation was 107,247 acres, 
and the crops produced were: 16,625 bales of cotton, 517,484 bushels of corn, 
111,287 bushels of wheat, 159,008 bushels of oats, 826 bushels of other small grain, 
21,729 bushels of Irish and sweet potatoes, 526 bushels of peas and beans, 1,427 
tons of hay, 95 barrels of stigar, 272 barrels of molasses and 8,313 tons of cotton 
seed. The values produced on the farms were $1,000,224. An extensive business 
in the handling and shipping of fruit and vegetables is done at the several railway 
stations. The acreage devoted to these products amounted to 1,915 acres, 
valued at $47,228. 

The live stock, most of which is of highlv improved breed, is valued at 
$620,280, and consists of 15,437 horses and mules, 2,394 head of cattle, 72 jacks 
and jennets, 1,095 sheep, 354 goats and 11,810 hogs. 





Berry Picking, Parker County. 



There are in the county some 130 
mercantile houses, one wholesale jobbinj^ 
house, two flourinfj mills, one ice factory, 
fire brick and tile factory, cotton seed oil 
mill, two cotton compresses, castor oil 
press, planing mill, pottery, brick j-ards 
and numerous smaller enterprises. 

Weatherford, the county seat, has 
4,000 inhabitants, and is the point of 
junction of the several railways travers- 
ing the county. It is admirably situated 
in the midst of a rich and fertile farming 
district, andis 1,000 feet above sea level. 
The city has 3 national banks, 9 churches, 
3 colleges, good public and private 
schools, an opera house, an elegant 
court house a street railway, a cotton 
gin, 2 cotton compresses, a planing mill, 
bottling and pottery works, fine stone 
business blocks, and three weekly news- 
papers. The principal traffic of the city 
consists of the handling of cotton, grain, 
flour, castor oil, coal, live stock, hides, 
wool, garden truck and fruits. The 
other towns in the county are, Spring- 
town, population 657, and Whitt, popu- 
lation, 278. 

Fruit Raising and Shipping. — One 
of the rapidly growing industries of 
Parker County is the production of 
fruits and vegetables for Northern 
markets, and Weatherford being 
the principal shipping point in 
Parker County, receives almost 



the entire shipments of this class. One 
of the Weatherford scenes shown is a 
photograph of the railroad station during 
the fruit season. This class of shipment 
is increasing every year, and bids fair in 
a few years to make Weatherford one of 
the most noted shipping points in the ' 
South. All classes of fruit succeed well 
in Parker County, particularl}' strawber- 
ries and other small fruits, which come 
early enough to make it possible for them 
to reach Northern markets as early as 
small fruits from Southern Georgia and 
Alabama. Vegetables also can be raised 
for market as well here as they can in the 
above states. Lands are cheap, and can be 
bought either outright or secured at very 
low rental. The railroads offer unsur- 
passed shipping facilities, and as the 
increase of the fruit shipments renders 
it possible to make up special trains of 
this class of freight from W'eatherford, 
the rates will be very materially reduced. 
Not only has Weatherford the advantage 
of an early Northern market, but it has 
a fine local demand for the vegetables and 
fruits grown in the county, lieing only a 
short distance from Fort Worth and Dal- 
las, two of the largest cities in Texas. 




Roller Mills, Weatherford. 



Te.x.\s & P.^cipic Railway Station During Kruit Season. 




Farm Scene, Palo Pinto County. 



Ipalo Ipinto Countv>, ^cxas. 



THIS county was formed from Bosque 
and Navarro Counties in 1856. It 
takes its name from Palo Pinto 
Creek, which flows through the southern 
part from west to east, and empties into 
the Brazos River. Brazos River flows 
through the county near the center from 
northwest to southeast, giving a river 
front of about 200 miles. Both the 
Brazos River and Palo Piuto Creek have 
numerous tributaries. 

The general surface of the county is 
rather rugged, having numerous high 
hills and deep valleys. Most of the hilly 
lands are covered with nutritious grasses ; 
the broader valleys bordering on the 
Brazos River and its tributaries, stretch- 
ing out from the base of the hills, are 
generally fairly smooth and level. The 
tops of the hills in many places form 
smooth niesquite-covered table lands 
capable of tillage. 

About one fourth of the area, 968 scjuare 
miles, is covered with timber, consisting 
chiefly of post oak, and cedar in smaller 
pro])ortion. The latter is rather short 
and scru1)by, but is suitable and sufficient 
in (|uantity for use as fuel, fencing, etc., 
and is di.stributed conveniently through 
the county. Much of the scenery is 



highly attractive. There are some fairly 
productive uplands, but most of the 
farms are in the valleys of the Brazos 
and its tributaries, where the soil is gen- 
erally a red or chocolate -colored sandy 
alluvium of great depth and fertilit}'. 
Some of the valleys, notably the Keechi 
Creek Valley, are exceptionallj' and uni- 
formly fertile. The valley named is a 
prairie from 5 to 10 miles wide by about 
15 miles in length. Under ordinary con- 
ditions the soils will produce from 600 to 
1,200 pounds of seed cotton; 20 to 40 
bushels of corn ; 10 to 16 bushels of 
wheat; 35 to 60 bushels of oats, and 1 to 
1)4 tons of hay to the acre. Vegetables 
are grown in abundance, and peaches, 
plums, grapes and strawberries yield 
satisfactory results. 

The mean annual rainfall is 26.23 
inches, and is usually well distributed 
throughout the }'ear, but it happens 
occasionall}- that either a spring or fall 
crop is damaged for want of rain at the 
right time, but this does not occur often. 

The general elevation of the county 
is about 2,000 feet above sea level; there 
is an entire absence of marshes or other 
causes of malaria, and the atmosphere is 
dry, pure and healthful. 



Stock raising is usually carried on as a separate and distinct business. Very 
little feeding is done, except for such stock as is intended for butchers' stock. 
This is usually fattened on corn for a month or more before shipment to the larger 
cities. The live stock in the county in 1894 was assessed as follows: Horses and 
mules, 8,464, value $203,365; cattle, 28,440, value |165,965; jacks and jennets, 42, 
value 15,115; sheep, 927, value |1,032; goats, 30, value |15 ; hogs, 5,439, value 
110,182. 

There are 918 farms in the county which produced 3,594 bales of cotton, 160,340 
bushels of corn, 24,068 bushels of wheat, 51,300 bushels of oats, 895 bushels of 
other small grain, 870 bushels of Irish and sweet potatoes, 172 bushels of peas and 
beans, 794 tons of hay, 44 barrels of sorghum molasses, 436 tons of sorghum cane 
and 1,797 tons of cotton seed. There were 39,993 acres in cultivation, and the crop 
was valued at $251,036. The acreage in orchard and garden was 1,106, and the 
money value obtained, $5,945. 

Bituminous coal of good qualit}', and in sufficient quantity to justify mining, 
has been discovered in several places in the county- Coal mines are now in opera- 
tion at Thurber, about 4 miles southwest of Gordon, and at Fincastle, about 1>^ 
miles southeast of Thurber. A switch has been built to tliese mines by the Texas 
& Pacific Railway, branching off about half way be- 
tween Gordon and Strawn. The daily output is about r 
700 tons. In the northern part of the county there % 
are several coal deposits which have not yet been 
fully developed. Gas has been found in several wells, 
but no effort has as yet been made to turn it to 
practical use. 

The Texas & Pacific Railway crosses the southern 
portion of the county. The Weatherford Mineral 
Wells & Northwestern Railway enters the northeast 
part of the county, having its terminus at Mineral 
Wells. Their combined mileage is 44.42 miles. ? 
The assessed value of property, in 1894, was ^ 
given at $3,176,873. Improved lands generally 
sell for $5 to $15 per acre; unimproved, $2 to $6 
per acre. The lands of the Texas & Pacific Land 
Grant, still remaining unsold in this county, 
amount to 11,891 acres. 

The county has 47 school houses ; employs 
50 teachers, and has a school population of 
1,988. 

Palo Pinto, the county seat, has 610 in- 
habitants; Gordon, a town on the Texas & 
Pacific Railway, 378, and Strawn, another 
station on the same railway, 514 inhabitants. 

Mineral Wells is a prosperous town on the 
Weatherford, Mineral Wells & Northwestern 
Railway, 21 miles northwest from Weatherford. 
It has 577 inhabitants, and was settled in 1882. 
The waters in the wells of this town have, by 
chemical analysis, been found to be equal in cura- 
tive powers to the Carl.sbad or Hot Springs, and 
are considered a .specific remedy in cases of chronic 
rheumatism, diseased liver, dyspepsia, skin dis- 
eases, lironchitis, asthm:i and general chronic 
affections. The town is 
visited by thousands of 
patients, has am]:)le hotel 
accommodations, bath- 
houses, etc., forthesick. 
It is situated on a high 
]>lateau, surrounded by 
hills, in a very herdthful 
locality. The number ol 
wells is over 200, all con 
taining mineral salts. 






ViKWS in- 
Mineral 

Wells. 

1 , Howard Res. 

2. Ke.s. of Dr. 
Blackburn. 

3. Sangara 
MineralWells 

4, Oak Street. 





Farm Scene in Erath County. 



lEratb County, 'C^cxae. 



THIS county lies in the triangle 
formed by the Texas & Pacific 
Railway, the Texas Central Rail- 
way and the Brazos River. Stephenville, 
the county seat is about 65 miles south- 
west of Forth Worth and about 90 miles 
northwest of Waco. Its area is 1,042 
miles, and in 1890 it had 21,594 inhabi- 
tants. It was organized in 1856, and 
was formerly part of Bosque and Coryell 
Counties. 

A short branch of the Texas & Pacific 
Railway extending from Thurber Junc- 
tion to Thurber, enters the county from 
the north. The Texas Central Railway 
passes through the southern portion, and 
the P'ort Worth & Rio Grande Railway 
traverses the county in a southwestern 
direction. The entire mileage in the 
county is 64.81 miles. 

Stephenville is the county seat, and 
has a population of 909. Dublin, at the 
Junction of the Texas Central and Fort 
Worth & Rio Grande Railways is an 
important trading point, and has 2,025 
inhabitants. Thurber, on the Texas & 
Pacific Railway is the shipping point for 
the coal mines in its vicinity; the ship- 
ments amounting to some 700 to 800 
tons per day. The other towns, Alex- 
ander, poinilation 381; Duffau, popula- 
tion 263; Bluff Dale, ])opulation 156; and 
Chalk Mountain, population 196, are all 
considered good business points, en- 
gaged in handling the products of the 
county. 



The county is situated within the true 
coal formation, and indications of coal 
are found in many places. The supply 
in the vicinity of Thurber is said to be 
sufficient for a great number of years. 
Mineral wells are numerous, and for 
those at Duffau and near Hico special 
merits are claimed as curative waters. 
They are highly recommended for dis- 
eases of the liver, for general debility 
and chronic disorders. 

The assessed value of all property in 
the county in 1894 is given at |;4, 617,562. 
The county maintains 96 school houses 
and employs 115 teachers. The number 
of pupils enrolled during the year was 
4,965, and the value of school property, 
outside of the cities was fl8,250. The 
tuition revenue received from the State 
was $22,369.50. 

The average taxable value of land in 
the county is $4.58 per acre. Improved 
lands are generally sold at prices rang- 
ing from $6.00 to $20.00 per acre. Un- 
improved lands can generally be had for 
$2.00 to $8.00 per acre. 

The po]5ulation is essentially a farm- 
ing community. Stock-raising, while 
being an important and profitable busi- 
ness in this county, receives much at- 
tention, but is secondary to, and fre- 
(juently ])art of, ordinary farming opera- 
tions. There are 2,188 farms in the 
county, comprising in general crops 
104,962 acres, and the yield for 1894 was 
valued at $720,433. The crops consisted 



of 11,185 bales of cotton; 262,880 bushels 
of corn; 27,400 bushels of wheat; 179,- 
453 bushels of oats; 46 bushels of mis- 
cellaneous small grain ; 2,840 bushels of 
Irish and sweet potatoes ; 55 bushels of 
peas; 1,085 tons of haj' ; 5,593 tons of 
cotton seed ; 16 barrels of sorghum syrup 
and 86 tons of sorghum cane. There were 
also 1,627 acres in orchard and garden, 
which yielded a money return of $74,025. 

The live stock consists of 14,237 horses 
and mules, 24,015 head of cattle, 84 jacks 
and jennets, 8,785 sheep, 56 goats and 
9,672 hogs. They were valued, in 1894, 
at $469,791. 

The general contour of the surface is 
high and rolling. A number of streams 
have their sources in the county, some 
of which flow north, .some east and some 
south. In the northern portion are 
ranges of hills of considerable altitude. 
In other portions are low, rock}- hills, 
not suitable for cultivation, but affording 
good pasturage, especial h' for sheep. 
Between all these ranges of hills are 
broad valleys, the soil of which is gener- 
ally a dark, mellow loam, easily tilled 
and fairly productive. The soils of the 
upland prairies and timbered areas are 
also of good quality, but are not so 
highly esteemed as those of the valleys. 

About one-half of the county is wood- 
land, and about two-thirds of the area 
is tillable. Post, live oak, Spanish oak, 
walnut, pecan, elm and cotton wood are 
the leading varieties of timl)er. The 
trees are generally small, but along tin.' 



streams they attain a fairly large growth. 
An unfailing supply of water is furnished 
by the Bosque River, and Green's, Alarm, 
Paluxy, Armstrong, Risley's, Gilmore's, 
Barton's, Sandy and Richardson's Creeks. 
In dry seasons some of these streams 
cease to run, but in most of them water 
stands in long, deep holes and remains 
clean and sweet. Good springs are 
numerous and wells are obtained at a 
moderate depth. The mean annual rain- 
fall is about 27 inches, and its precipita- 
tion is, as a rule, more favorable for the 
cereals and cotton, than for corn and 
mid -.summer vegetables. The yield per 
acre is somewhat above the average 
obtained in many counties in the State. 
The mercantile and manufacturing 
establishments in the count}' consist of 
one bank, opera house, roller mills, 
cotton gins, cotton compress, street rail- 
way, electric light, water wofks, ice fac- 
tory, candy factory, broom factory, six 
churches, etc. , at Dublin ; a very complete 
colliery, employing over 600 men, at 
Thurber ; a steam roller mill, cotton gins, 
four or five churches at Alexander; four 
churches, steam flouring mill, cotton 
gins and hotel at Duffan ; six churches, 
two banks, two first-class hotels, a hand- 
.some court house, a flouring mill, cotton 
gins and weekly newspaper at Stephen - 
ville, the county .seat. The shipments 
from the several trade centers, except 
Thurber, consist of cotton, live stock, 
corn, wheat, oats, sorghum, wool, hides, 
flour, rvc and fruits. 




Sheep R.\Ncn, }-;r.\th Countv. 



Stepbcne County, Xlexae. 



THIS county was formerly part of 
Bosque County, and was organized 
in 1860 as Buchanan County. In 
1861 the name was changed to Stephens 
County. It is situated in latitude 32 
degrees and 40 minutes north, and west 
longitude 98 degrees and 50 minutes. 

Breckenridge, the county seat, is 
about 95 miles west of Fort Worth, and 
about 30 miles east of Albany, the pres- 
ent terminus of the Texas Central Rail- 
way. The Texas & Pacific Railway 
crosses the southeast corner, having 5.7 
miles of railwa_y in the count}'. 

The population of the county in 1890 
was 4,725, of whom 462 were residents at 
Breckenridge, the county seat, 225 at 
Gunsight, and 85 at Caddo, the other 
towns in the county. The assessed 
values of taxable property in the county 
in 1894 amounted to |2, 389, 257. The 
county maintains 37 school houses, 40 
teachers and has a school population of 
1,392. The principal business of the 
inhabitants is farming and stock raising. 
There are about 620 farms in the county, 
many of them being operated as stock 
farms. The acreage in cultivation in 
1894 was 18,465 acres, yielding crops to the 
value of $128,159, and consisting of 1,903 
bales of cotton, 957 tons of cotton seed, 
37,231 bushels of corn, 36,944 bushels of 
wheat and 31,659 bushels of oats. 

The value of the live stock in the county 
amounts, according to the Tax Asses- 
sor's rolls to $290,471, and consists of 
8,932 head of horses and mules; 18,765 
head of cattle; 119 jacks and jennets; 
3,235 sheep; 94 goats, and 2,451 hogs. 

The surface of the county is diversified 
by high hills and deep valleys and nearly 
level table lands. The extreme eastern 
portion is broken by rugged hills and 
deep rocky ravines, between which lie 
numerous small but very fertile valleys. 
Small, scrubby live oak, cottonwood, 
water oak, elm, hackberry, mesquite 
and pecan, the latter growing principally 
on the streams, cover about one-fourth 



of the area. The Clear Fork of the 
Brazos flows along the northern bound- 
ary, in an easterly course, and is a swift, 
perpetual stream, fed by springs of 
pure water. Other streams furnish an 
abundant water supply the greater part 
of the year, though in very dry seasons 
the water stands in pools and the streams 
cease flowing. There are some springs 
scattered through the count}'. Excel- 
lent water is obtained in wells from 15 
to 60 feet deep. 

A large part of the county is suitable 
for cultivation. Most farms are, however, 
small, as nearly all farmers have more 
or less live stock requiring some atten- 
tion. Owing to the broken character 
of the surface of the county there is a 
greater variety in the soils than is com- 
monly met with in this part of the 
State. Most of them are fertile and the 
yield of the crops averages well with 
those of other parts of the State. The 
mean annual rainfall is about 27 inches, 
and is usually most abundant in fall, 
winter and early spring. Late summer 
crops are occasionally injured by drouth. 
Nearly the entire surface is covered with 
mesquite grass, the most nutritious of 
all native grasses. Stock feed on it all 
year round, and where the county is not 
over-pastured, cattle remain fat and keep 
in good condition all winter. 

Coal exists in several places near the 
Texas & Pacific Railway. Hematite 
and magnetic iron ore have been found 
in larger quantities in the northern part 
of the county. Traces of copper are 
found in several places, and near the 
coal fields are strong indications of the 
presence of petroleum. Building stone 
of good quality is abundant, and a few 
quarries have been developed. Lands 
are cheap, ranging in price from $2.00 to 
$10.00 per acre, and can be purchased of 
the State School fund, or the Texas & 
Pacific Land Grant, which still has 
11,993 acres of unsold land in this 
county. 








72 



Cattle R.vnch, Stephens Covntv. 




]£a6tlanb Countv\ 'JTciaci. 



THIS county was created in 1858 from 
Coryell and Bosque Counties, and 
was named in honor of Capt. Wil- 
liam M. Eastland, who was miardered 
while a prisoner in Mexico. It was 
organized in 1S73, has 10,373 inhabitants 
and contains an area of 909 square miles. 
Its property valuations amount to f3,- 
395,676; its ])ublic schools number 58, 
and 69 teachers arcrcmployed, the num- 
ber of pupils enrolled being 2,708. The 
county lies midway between the Colo- 
rado and Brazos Rivers. The Texas & 
Pacific Railway and the Texas Central 
Railway form a junction at Cisco, a good 
business town of 1,000 people near the 
center of the county. 

Much of the surface of the county is 
broken and hilly, the hills being gen- 
erally densely wooded and presenting in 
some places the aspect of lofty peaks 
and deep gorges. At the foot of the 
hills are wi<le, level valleys with a 
variety of soils, dark rich loams covered 
with mesquite trees predominating. In 
other portions are broad, slightly rolling 
prairies, carpeted with a luxuriant growtli 
of mesquite grass, and in others, still 
larger areas of compact, mulatto-colored, 
sandy soil, covered with a thick growth 
of post oak. 

About two-thirds of the surface of the 
county is timbered, the post oak being 
generally found on the level, sandy land, 



the cedar in 
the broken districts, tne 
elm and mesquite in the 
valleys and flats, and the ])ecan, 
Cottonwood, linn, live oak and Ijurr 
oak in the bottoms bordering the 
streams. The Leon River and its 
tributaries, Colony Fork, Big and Little 
Sandy, are running streams usually 
for only half the year, but hold in 
pools an unfailing supply of pure water. 
For domestic use an abundance of fine 
freestone water is obtained from springs 
and wells, the latter varying in depth 
from 30 to 45 feet. 

One third of the county is well suited 
for farming purposes, aiul with proper 
cultivation a yield of 600 to 800 pounds 
of seed cotton, 20 to 30 bushels of corn, 
10 to 18 of wheat, 40 to 60 of oats, 10 to 
30 of rye, 40 to 60 of barley, 200 to 300 
of sweet potatoes, 90 of Irish potatoes, or 
2 to 3 tons of millet may be obtained to 
the acre. The mean annual rainfall is 
27 inches, and is usually distributed 
more favorably for fall, winter and early 
s])ring crops than for those maturing in 
summer. Good farming land, unim- 
proved, can be had for about $2.50 to 
|5.00 ])er acre, improved lands for ?5.00 
to $20.00 per acre. The State school 
fund has some 5,000 acres still for sale. 

The county is in every respect health- 
ful. The atmosphere is dry and bracing. 



The temperature ranges in summer from 
75 to 95 degrees, and in winter from 20 
to 60 degrees. Coal of good quality has 
been found and is worked in a small 
way. Much of the county lies in the 
coal measures and profitable mines may 
be in time developed. Indications of 
iron ore and copper have also been 
found. 

The principal occupations of the people 
are general farming and stock farming. 



and sweet potatoes, 563 tons of sorghum 
cane and 511 bushels of pecans. The 
acreage in orchard and garden comprises 
1,198 acres and yielded a revenue of 
$7,368. 

The live stock of the county consists 
of 9,042 horses and mules, valued at 
$212,308; 160,985 head of cattle, valued 
at $89,317; 79 jacks and jennets, valued 
at $6,260; 481 sheep and goats, valued at 
), and 5,165 hogs, valued at $7,137. 




Pasture— Eastland County. 



There are 1,185 farms in the county. 
The acreage in cultivation in 1894 was 
48,762 acres, which produced money 
values amounting to $252,950. The crops 
consisted of 4,189 bales of cotton, 2,095 
tons of cotton seed, 95,080 bushels of 
corn, 15,918 bushels of wheat, 73,900 
bushels of oats, 3,300 bushels of Irish 



Cisco is the largest town and most 
important shipping point. Eastland is 
the county seat. It is a station on the 
Texas & Pacific Railway, and has 468 
inhabitants. The other important points 
in the county are Desdimonia, popula- 
tion 410; Ranger, population 527, and 
Jewell, population 118. 





Callahan County 



Callahan (rountv\ tlcxae. 



CALLAHAN COUNTY was created 
in 1858 and organized in 1877. It 
was named in honor of Capt. 
James Callahan, one of the survivors of 
Fannin's massacre at Goliad, and serves 
as an enduring monument to his memory. 
There w^ere a few stockmen in the 
count}' as early as 1860, but being ex- 
posed to the depredations of the Indians, 
these pioneers were comjjelled to retire, 
and no ])ermanent settlement was effected 
until 1874. The county is situated near 
the geographical center of the State, has 
an area of 900 square miles, and 5,457 
inhabitants, of whom 850 have their res- 
idence in Baird, the county seat, 310 at 
Putnam, a station on the Texas & Pa- 
cific Railway, 78 at Cottonwood, 58 at 
Belle Plain, and 59 at Cross Plains, 
minor trading points in the county. 

Running southeast, almost through 
the center of the county, is the "di\iile"' 
between the waters of the Brazos and the 
Colorado Rivers. All the waters flowing 
north, northeast or northwest emj^ty into 
the Brazos, those flowing southerly have 
the Colorado River for an outlet. This 
divide does not occur as a sharp ridge, 
but rises in a series of table lands, that 



forming the center being the highest. 
This succession of table lands finally 
reaches an elevation of 2,100 feet above 
sea level. From this "divide" rise in- 
numerable small water courses, most of 
which carry water near the head. 

Two belts of timber, known as the Up- 
per Cross Timbers, each about four miles 
wide, extend through the county, afford- 
ing an abundant supply of fuel and 
fencing material, whilst along the main 
"divide" large cedar brakes exist which 
furnish fence posts for the surrounding 
counties. 

The arable land of the county will 
equal fully half of its area, the remain- 
der being clothed with choice pasture 
grasses. The predominant grass is the 
mesquite which cures on the ground 
during August and September, and fur- 
nishes good stock food during the win- 
ter months. 

The soil of the county is of every 
shade as to color, and ranges from light 
sandy to the heaviest stiff loam. The 
light sandy soils have been found well 
adapted to grapes and fruits and also 
cotton, corn and vegetables. The very 
best soil is claimed to be that near the 



timber belts, v,'hich is either a stiff, sandy 
red colored soil, or a dark gray loam. 
The dark loams of the mesquite flats are 
deemed superior for wheat, oats, barley 
and rye. The finest peach orchards are 
also found on this soil. The soil on the 
uplands varies in depth from a few 
inches to two or three feet; in the val- 
leys it is often five or six feet deep. 
There is much waste and stony land 
on the hillsides that affords good pas- 
turage. 

Building stone of various kinds is abun - 
dant in quantity, and some of the lime- 
stone and sandstone has been employed 
in public and private buildings. 

The timber of the county occupies 
about one-fourth of the area, and of this 
post oak, black jack and live oak form 
the greater part. Much of this makes 
good fence rails. The creek valleys are 
lined with elm, hackberry and pecan. 
The pecan is usually of a large growth, 
and the nuts form an important item of 
commerce. The level uplands and open 
valleys have generally a growth of mes- 
quite, a tree of the acacia or locust fam- 
ily. Its wood makes durable fence posts 
and a most excellent fuel. It bears a 
most prolific crop of beans, which are 
highly nutritious and much sought for 
by all kinds of live stock. 

The annual rainfall varies ordinarily 
from 20 to 25 inches, and generally is 
sufiicient to mature fairly good crops. 
Occasionally, crops are, however, cut 
short by drouth as in 1886-7 and 1894-5, 
two drouth periods about seven years 
apart. The highest summer temperature 
observed has been 106 degrees, and the 
lowest 4 degrees below zero, these occur- 
ing once in ten years. The average 
yield of crops 
/, is, of corn, 



25 to 30 bushels per acre; wheat, 12 to 15 
bushels; sweet potatoes, 100 bushels; 
sorghum syrup, 125 gallons. During 
exceptionally favorable seasons from 90 
to 110 bushels of oats, and 45 bushels of 
wheat have also been made. Fruits ap- 
parently do very well, and seem to be 
very little affected by drouth. 

Improved lands generally sell at prices 
ranging from |5.00 to $15.00 per acre. 
Unimproved lands from $2.00 to $6.00 
per acre. The State school fund has a 
considerable acreage for sale, and the 
unsold lands of the Texas & Pacific 
land grant amovmt to 10,801 acres. 

There are 37 schoolhouses, 39 teachers, 
and 1,401 children of scholastic ages in 
the count}'. The mercantile enterprises 
consist of 1 bank, and 36 general mer- 
cantile houses. There are several cotton 
gins, a flouring mill, and the railway 
repair shops at Baird, employing a con- 
siderable number of people. 

There are several mineral wells, the 
waters of which are highly recommended 
as a cure for scrofulous and cancerous 
diseases. The best known of these wells 
are those at Putnam, on the line of the 
Texas & Pacific Railway, and those at 
Pecan, on Little Pecan creek, twenty 
miles from the railway. 

The number of farms in the county in 
1894 was 398, comprising 16,038 acres, 
and yielded a money return of $112,871. 
The product consisted of 1,789 bales of 
cotton, 34,197 bushels of corn, 22,479 
bushels of wheat, and 43,726 bushels of 
oats. The value of the orchard and 
garden products amounted to $5,999. 

The live stock of the county for 1894, 
according to the assessment rolls, con- 
sisted of 8,894 horses and mules, value 
$154,131; 26,627 cattle, value $151,377; 
74 jacks and jennets, value $6,755; 1,988 
sheep, value $1,967; 65 goats, value $25; 
and 1,472 hogs, 
value $2,292. 




Sni.KI" IvANCII — C.\LLAll.\.\ C' 




Abilene Water-Power 



'JEa\>lor Count\>, 'S^cxas. 



THIS county was formed from Bexar 
and Travis Counties in 1858. The 
boundary lines were changed to 
the present limits in 1876, and in 1878 
the county was organized. Its area is 
900 square miles, and in 1890 it had 
6,957 inhabitants. Abilene the county 
seat and principal shipping point is 161 
miles west of the city of Fort Worth. 

The principal topographical features 
of the county are ranges of low hills, 
extensive plains, mountain spurs of con- 
siderable altitude and numerous streams. 
A range of hills extends through the 
county from northeast to northwest, 
forming a divide between the waters of 
the Colorado and Brazos Rivers. The 
general elevation, as determined by 
actual measurement, is 1,634 feet above 
sea level, and the highest one of the 
mountain peaks rises 519 feet above the 
level of the surrounding plains. 

Tributary to the Brazos River are the 
Elm Fork and Cedar, Rainey and Wil- 
low Creeks, and to the Colorado are Jim 
Ned, Valley Spring and Bluff Creeks. 
None of the streams are large, l)ut most 
of them flow the greater ])art of the year 
and all hold water in pools in their beds 
in the dryest seasons. In the northern 
part of the county are many unfailing 
springs, and wells of good water are 
obtained in nearly every part of the 
county at a depth of 15 to 35 feet. Along 
the streams, running generally at right 
angles to the range of hills, are broad 
valleys, many of which are covered with 
small mesquite trees. South of the range 
of hills are post oak groves, varying in 
extent from 12,000 to 20,000 acres, and 
also considerable bodies of live oak and 
many cedar brakes. The creeks and 
branches are usually skirted with pecan, 
elm, and hackberry, most of the timber 
being small, but suitable for fuel and 



fence posts. The mesquite trees are not 
only valuable for these purposes, but in 
addition produce a bean, which is very 
nutritious, and a valuable feed for stock. 

North of the dividing range of hills, the 
soil of the valleys is a rich alluvium, 
which is well adapted to the several 
staple crops of the State. The soil of 
the table lands contains a large admix- 
ture of calcareous marls, rich in all the 
essential elements necessary for the pro- 
duction of cereals. South of the divide, 
the soil is a chocolate and mulatto loam, 
alternating with black "hog wallow" 
prairie. The rainfall varies from 20 to 
35 inches, most of it is precipitated be- 
tween April and October. Summer 
crops such as corn and cotton, sorghum, 
millet, etc., can be depended on with 
reasonable certainty. The cereals de- 
pendingon early spring rains occasionally 
fail, but more frequrntly yield enor- 
mously. Cotton, corn, wheat, oats and 
other crops are successfully grown. The 
yield is about as follows: Cotton, from 
^.j to 1 bale per acre; wheat, 15 to 35 
bushels; oats, 40 to 100 bushels; barley 
and rye, 30 to 40 bushels; corn, 30 to 60 
bushels; millet, frequently 2 crops per 
year, 2 to 6 tons; sorghum cane, 3 to 4 
tons per acre; Colorado grass, 3 to 5 
tons; castor beans, 50 to 60 bushels; 
INIilo maize and doura corn, 30 to 100 
bushels per acre. 

I'ruits, such as peaches, pears, quinces, 
l>erries, etc., grow and ripen to perfec- 
tion, and are of fine flavor. A large 
plum of fine flavor and several varieties 
of grapes grow wild in sheltered locali- 
ties. Vegetables are successfully grown, 
and melons attain extraordinary dimen- 
sions. About two-thirds of the area of 
the county is good agricultural land. 
The remaining third affords good pas- 
turage. Curly mesquite, gramma and 



Farm Scene Near Abilene. 



sedge are the prevailing grasses, and 
among these the curly mesquite pre- 
dominates. For about six weeks in 
severe winters, stock requires feeding, 
but most live stock is raised on the open 
range without other food. 

The climate throughout the year is 
agreeable ; the temperature rarely rising 
above 100 degrees or below 20 degrees 
above zero. There are no local causes 
for diseases, and sunstroke and malarial 
troubles are unknown. 

Indications of iron ore and coal have 
been found, but no effort has been made 
to determine their extent. The railway 
mileage in the count}' is 31-i^2", belonging 
to the Texas & Pacific Railway, which 
traverses it from east to west. The 
assessed value of property in 1894 is 
given as |4, 403, 992, of which $250,156 
was charged to .live stock. Improved 
lands generally sell at prices ranging 
from $5 to $15 per acre. Unimproved 
lands can be had at $2 to $6 per acre. 
The Texas & Pacific Land Grant still 
has 26,300 acres in this county. 

The school census for 1894 reports 
1,081 pupils, educated in 26 school 
houses, in which are employed 30 
teachers. The number of farms in 



the county is given at 503 comprising 
35,416 acres, and producing crops to the 
value of 1158,121. 

The live stock of the county consists 
of 7,909 horses and mules, valued at 
$153,070; 13,699 head of cattle, value 
$82,452; 69 jacks and jennets, value 
$7,320; 4,925 sheep, value $5,545; 360 
goats, value $220, and 763 hogs, valued 
at $1,549. 

Abilene, the county seat, is an incor- 
porated city with 3,194 inhabitants, sur- 
rounded on all sides by attractive farms 
and ranches. It is the shipping point 
for a number of counties lying north 
and south of the Texas & Pacific Rail- 
way, and was first settled in 1881. It 
contains a number of fine church build- 
ings, one of the best high schools in the 
West, a flouring mill, large public 
school, grain elevator, several good 
hotels, an ice factory, 2 cotton gins, 2 
corn mills, 3 national banks, water- 
works and a fire department, brick 
yards, opera house and hundreds of 
attractive residence buildings. The busi- 
ness portion of the town is mainly built 
of brick. The other towns of importance 
are Buffalo Gap, population 568, and 
Merkel, population 353. 




Pink .Street, Abilenk. Te> 



IKlolan County, tlciae. 



THIS county lies on the Texas & 
Pacific Railway, and Sweetwater, 
its county seat, is 202 miles west 
of Fort Worth. It was formed from 
Bexar County, in 1876, and named in 
honor of Philip Nolan, the great pioneer 
and scout, who explored Texas in 1800. 
It was organized in 1881, and has an 
area of 900 square miles. 

The general aspect of the county is 
that of high, gently rolling, upland 
prairies, depressed at intervals into broad, 
level valleys. Going from east to west, 
the country has the appearance of a 
series of plateaux rising one above the 
other toward the west, at intervals of 10 
to 15 miles, each plateau being from 
50 to 200 feet higher than the one pre- 
ceding it. There is a difference in ele- 
vation of probably 500 feet between the 
east boundarv and the west boundary, 
the elevation' being from 2,000 to 2,500 
feet above sea level. There are no large 
streams in the county. Sweetwater, 
Bitter, Silver, Champion, Valley, Fish, 
Kildergan and Mulberry creeks furnish 
the water for live stock. None of them 
have a perpetual flow, but all of them 
carry water in large pools during the 
dryest seasons. There are a few springs, 
and in the greater part of the county 
good water is obtained for household 
purposes from wells 25 to 40 feet deep. 
In the south central part of the county 
is an area containing large deposits of 
gypsum, and here the water is frequently 
unpalatable. The average annual rain- 
fall is 25.04 inches, and most abundant 
in the summer months. It will generally 
secure good crops of cereals, but some- 
times is too irregular in its precipita- 
tion, and crops are occasionally damaged 
by drouth. As in other counties in this 
region, the distribution of the rainfall is 
such as to admit of the harvesting of 
forage plants, .such as hay grasses, the 
many varieties of sorghum, millet, 
Egvptian corn, Kaffir corn, Milo maize, 
or any plant of which stalk, leaf and 
seed are required. These will mature 
almost in any year, and forage can be 
produced in the greatest aliundance. 



Deep-rooted crops of all kinds do well, 
and fruit trees or cotton are certain 
crops. Garden vegetables do very well 
in the summer months. Indian corn 
and grain crops, which are dependent on 
a rain at a given time, sometimes fail to 
make a full crop of seed, but always 
will make good forage. In the season- 
able years most excellent crops of all 
descriptions are grown. The average 
yield in a run of years can be given at 
25 bushels of corn, 15 to 20 of wheat, 
40 of oats, 200 of sweet potatoes, half 
bale of cotton, and 2 to 3 tons of millet 
to the acre. Sorghum will yield from 
2 to 6 or 8 tons of good hay, according 
to the season. 

Stock raising is the principal business 
of the people, agricultural operations 
taking a .secondary place. Luxuriant 
grass covers almost the entire county, 
and cattle are raised almost entirely on 
the range. Many of the ranches have 
small, irrigated gardens attached, in 
which the finest of fruits and vegetables 
are grown. There are 200 farms in the 
county, covering 2,789 acres, including 
the ranch gardens. The product, con- 
sisting of cotton, corn, wheat, oats, 
barley, rye, potatoes, cotton seed and 
sorghum cane, is valued at f 19,826. 

The live stock interest receives much 
more attention than agriculture, the 
money invested in it being ^159, 689. It 
consists of 4,607 horses and mules, 13,444 
head of cattle, 101 jacks and jennets, 7,670 
sheep, 89 goats, and 482 hogs. 

The assessed values of property for 
1894 are given at |1, 884, 234. The school 
population is 484, the number of .school - 
houses 8, and number of teachers em- 
ployed, 12. Unimproved lands can be 
had for $2.50 to #5.00 per acre. The 
State school fund has 17,440 acres, and 
the Texas & Pacific land grant .^6,745 
acres for sale in the county. 

Sweetwater, population 614, is the 
countv seat, and principal town in the 
county. Roscoe, a village on the Texas 
& Pacific Railway, is situated in the 
midst of the finest land in the county, 
and is growing rapidl}'. 




RouND-rp— Horse Ranch at Sweetwater. 




^itcbcll 
County?, 

THIS county was or- 
ganized in 1881. It 
is situated near the 
32d degree of north lati- 
tude, and 101st degree of 
west longitude. 

Colorado, the county 
seat, is 262 miles west of 
Dallas by way of the Texas & 
Pacific Railway, which trav- 
erses the county near the 
centerfromeast to west. Un- 
dulating prairies, traversed by 
numerous water courses, with 
broad and beautiful valleys, 
skirted by a growth of scrubby 
mesquite, hackberry, wild 







china, interspersed with an occasional 
live oak, pecan and cedar tree, in some 
parts hilly, in others stretching out 
into elevated table lands, fairly repre- 
sent the general featuresof the county. 
The general elevation is about 2,000 feet 
along the east boundary, and about 
2,400 feet along the west boundary. An abrupt change in 
the level takes place along the Colorado River, one of the 
three large rivers of the State, which flows nearly through 
the center of the county, its general course being about 
north and south. 

The soils of the county are rich, fertile loams of chocolate 
color, black sandy, black waxy and red clay, with just 
enough sand to make them easy of tillage. Tests extend- 
ing over a number of years have shown these soils to be 
peculiarly well adapted to the successful cultivation of 
Johnson grass, millet, sorghum cane, Douro, Kaffir corn, 
melons and fi-uits in dry j'ears; and in moist years, when the ground has had 
a sufficiency of winter and spring rains, Indian corn, oats, barley, cotton, alfalfa, 
vegetables and fruits are successfully grown. Stock raising is the engrossing 
pursuit of the inhabitants, and all agricultural t 
operations in the county are made subject, to the 
needs of the live stock. I'anning, pure and simjile, 
would, without irrigation, probably not pay, but in 

Views in Colorado and Vicinity.— 1, Texas Salt Co. 2 
Lone Star Salt Co. 3. Ranch Scene. 4 Scene. .S, Res.Judg< 
Looney. 6, Public School. 




connection with or as a part of stock 
farming, it yields satisfactory results. 
As a rule, any crop of which the whole 
plant, stalk, leaf and seed are recjuired, 
will mature and make good forage, and 
can be counted upon to yield with cer- 
tainty, even in the dryest years. The 
cereals, or any crop of which the seed is 
the part wanted, are more uncertain, 
yielding enormously at times and fail- 
ing in others. As a stock farming county 
Mitchell County has few equals. 

Irrigation from wells by means of 
windmills and tanks, is practiced in a 
small way on most ranches, and also in 
orchards, vineyards and vegetable gar- 
dens. The expense of irrigating has 
generally been small, but the results 
obtained have been highly gratifying. 
The annual rainfall is al)out 26 inches, 
most of which is prcci]:)itatcd between 
April and October. Nearly the entire 
surface of the county is covered with 
curly mesquite, buffalo and gramma 
grasses, all of which are indigenous. 
Where land is fenced and the pasturage 
preserved for winter use, cattle will 
keep as fat as on any farm where grain 
is fed. Stock in this section of Texas 
increases annually from 50 to 75 per cent. 
Lands in the count}' can be had at $2.50 
to $5.00 per acre, and can be purchased 
on longtime either from the State School 
Fund or from the Texas & Pacific Land 



51 



Grant, the latter still having 41,452acres 
for sale. 

Without an extensive system of canals 
for irrigation general farming may not 
be generally profitable, but the small 
irrigations from wells and windmills 
have produced most excellent crops of 
prunes, also the various fancy European 
table grapes, peaches, apricots and 
plums. An extension in the production 
of late vegetable crops and early fruits 
of fancy varieties by means of small 
irrigations will undoubtedly 3-icld hand- 
some profits. There are some 16 farms 
and numerous small orchards in the 
county. The acreage in cultivation 
amounted to 866 acres, yielding various 
crops valued at $5,0S6. The number of 
sheep sheared in the county was 17,060; 
pcmnds of wool clipped, 145,300, and 
value of same, $6,833. The number and 
value of live stock in 1894 was as follows : 
2,642 horses and mules, $45,610; 18,267 
cattle, $126,950; 15 jacks and jennets, 
$650; 20,402 head of sheep, $20,400; 125 
goats, $60; 291 hogs, $587. 

The area of the county is 900 sfjuare 
miles, and the population in 1890 was 
2,059, of whom 1,582 resided at Colorado, 
the county seat. The assessed values of 
the county for 1894 amounted to $2,169,- 
122, of which $194,257 are charged to 
live stock. There are in the countv 2 
banks with a capital of $200,000, ' 28 
mercantile houses, 1 ice factory, 2 ex- 
tensive salt works, 15 school houses, 
with 20 teachers and 504 pupils. The 
several church organizations are repre- 
sented and have places of worship. 
The climate of IMitchell County is 
delightful, both in winter and 
summer, and for people suf- 
fering from pulmonary com- 
plaints, there is a promise of 
relief if not cure, if they will 
, stay long enough to secure the 

benefits of a pure, dry atmos- 
phere and almost continuous 
.sunshine. 




Stock Farm— Mitchell County. 



1bowar^ Counti?, tlciae. 



THIS county is situated on the Texas 
& Pacific Railway, between the 
101st and 102d decrees of west 
longitude. 

Big Spring, the county seat, is 301 
miles west of Dallas. The county was 
named in honor of Volney E. Howard, 
a famous orator and congressman from 
Texas; it was organized in 1882 and has 
about 1500 inhabitants of whom 1200 are 
resident at Big Spring. The area is 900 
square miles, the elevation above sea 
level 2400 feet at Big Spring and about 
2800 at northwest corner of the county. 
The annual rainfall is from 20 to 25 
inches, being most abundant between 
April and October. 

Howard is essentially a stock raising 
county. At Big Spring, a considerable 
part of the population is employed in the 
ser^'ice of the railway shops, the town 
being a division terminus. The rest of 
the population is interested almost ex- 
clusively in stock raising, the farming 
operations being almost entirely subject 
to the needs of the stock. 

There are 6 churches, 8 school houses 
and 13 teachers in the county, the num- 
ber of pupils enrolled being 403. Lands 
range in price from $1 to |10 per acre, 
the unsold lands of the Texas & Pacific 
Land Grant in the county amounting to 
94,927 acres. There are in the county 2 
banks and some 12 mercantile houses, 
and the repair shops of the railway 
which employ a considerable number of 
people. The value of taxable property 
for 1894 is assessed at $1,242,194. 

There are about 60 farms in the 
county; most of them form part of larger 
stock ranches and are necessarily small, 
their entire acreage amounting to only 
1,239 acres. The value of the crop, 
consisting of cotton, corn, sweet pota- 
toes, peas, hay, sorghum molasses, cot- 
ton seed and fruits, was 19,290. The 
number of sheep sheared was 18,450, 
yielding 149,600 pounds of wool valued 
at $13,312. The live stock consisted of 
2,150 horses and mules, 9,041 head of 
cattle, 28 jacks and jennets, 7,035 head 
of sheep, 62 goats and 153 hogs, the 
whole valued at $108,677. 

The surface of the county presents 
high, rolling prairies, broken in places 
by hills 200 to 300 feet high, and inter- 
sper.sed with beautiful and fertile valleys 
of great length and width. The soiks 
vary from a heavy black loam, to black 



sandy loam, chocolate and ash colored 
loams; red sandy loam is also found on 
many of the uplands. All of these soils 
are of the greatest fertility. In favor- 
able seasons, wheat, oats, rye, barley, 
millet, corn, sorghum, potatoes, melons, 
etc., yield as well as in any part of 
Texas, but the rainfall is too irregular 
to assure good crops often enough in 
succession to make general farming 
profitable. As a part of stock farming 
agriculture will pay, as there is no dif- 
ficulty in producing sorghum, African 
millet, Egyptian corn, Kaffir corn, or any 
of the common forage plants in the 
greatest abundance. There are a num- 
ber of small irrigations in the county, 
tanks, wells and windmills being gen- 
erally used. Wherever applied, most 
satisfactory results have been obtained, 
and fruits and vegetables grown in this 
manner cannot be excelled. All the 
fancy European table grapes grow here 
to perfection. 

There are no constant living streams 
in Howard County, but a number of fine, 
large springs and permanent water holes 
furnish abundant water for live stock. 
The most important of these are Big 
Spring, Mo.ss Spring, (one of the most 
charming spots in the county,) Cedar 
Spring, Robert's, Wild Horse, German 
and Rattlesnake Springs. There are 
numerous places in the county where 
immense quantities of water could be 
stored for irrigation and in time this 
will be done. The various water courses 
in the county are tributaries of the Col- 
orado and Concho Rivers. Excellent 
water for domestic and ranch uses is 
found in nearly all parts of the county 
at a depth varying from 10 to 100 feet. 
There is no timber for building purposes, 
but mesquite trees of sufficient size can 
be found in places to supply fence posts. 
Fuel is abundant. The varieties of 
grasses are here more numerously rep- 
resented than in the counties further 
east, and generally afford good summer 
and winter pasturage for cattle, horses 
and sheep. Building stone of good 
qualit)' is abundant, and salt deposits of 
unknown magnitude have been found in 
the western part of the county. There 
are several large lakes of brackish water 
in the county that are miich frequented 
by water fowl during the winter months. 
Large game is scarce, but quail, curlew, 
rabbits, etc., are abundant. 










•■^.~ 



Sheep Ranch — Martin County. 



fll^i^lan^, flDartin, Ector an^ 

ILlIlinfUcr Counties, XTcras. 



ALL of these counties lie on the broad 
bosom of the Great Staked Plain, 
or the "Llano Estacado" of the 
early Spanish explorers. The counties 
are so uniform in their general charac- 
teristics, and have so much in common, 
that a topographical description of one 
would describe them all. The great 
Llano is a most peculiar body of land. 
After the April and May rains it is a 
boundless expanse covered with flowers 
of every hue; in the winter months, a 
brown, dusty plain, apparently without 
beginning and without end. It was a 
mystery to Coronado and his associates 
three centuries ago, and, until the com- 
pletion of the Texas & Pacific Railway, 
was a terra incognita in undisputed 
possession of warlike and hostile Indian 
tribes. 

On every side it is lifted far above the 
surrounding country. It is the mother 
of all the important rivers of Texas. 
From its base spring all the water- 
courses that, further on, unite to form 
the Brazos, the Colorado, the Concho, 
and other streams. The ascent is some- 
times a gradual slant, but usually 
steep and rugged. Its elevation above 
the surrounding country varies from 50 
feet to 400 feet, the projecting edge or 
escarpment being capped by a ledge or 
rim of white limestone rock. It is 
slightly tilted, being higher toward the 
north and west than in the south-east. 
It is about 60 miles wide where crossed 
by the Texas & Pacific Railway. Its 
southern limit is about 65 miles south of 
Midland. On the west its edge is about 
40 miles east of Pecos Citv, but 90 miles 



further north it ends in bold bluffs over- 
hanging the Pecos River, from any of 
which one can view the valley of the 
Pecos, and the White Mountains, 125 
miles beyond. Northward from the rail- 
way it widens out, and at a distance of 
about 250 miles merges into the Texas 
Panhandle. 

A bird's-eye view of the Llano shows 
great stretches of smooth upland prairie, 
extending north-west and south-east 
without a break for many miles. At ir- 
regular intervals are broad, level valleys, 
or "draws," which perform the drain- 
age of the country. In the southern 
part they all trend south-eastward, form- 
ing the head waters of all important 
streams in the State. The greater part 
of the year the beds of these "draws" 
furnish the most succulent pasturage, 
and the man who has lost an antelope or 
a cow will look for them here. In May, 
June and July the)' are frequentl}' bank 
full, and have water enough to float 
large Mississippi River boats for a da}' 
or two. Water in abundance can l)e 
found in their beds at a depth of 5 to 10 
feet at almost any time of the j-ear. On 
the surface of the Llano there are hun- 
dreds of basins, varying from a few 
hundred feet to several miles in extent, 
which hold water for the greater part of 
the year. Some of these are fed by 
springs, others, and the greater number 
of them, form sink holes, which let the 
water through to the layers of sand and 
gravel below. There is very little run- 
ning water, yet there are few regions 
that have a better water supply. There 
are thousands of wells of most excellent 



water, varying in depth from 10 to 100 
feet. The' supply is so abundant, and 
the natural conditions for water storage 
so favorable, that the time is not distant 
when these supplies will be carefully 
developed, and extensive facilities for 
irrigation be introduced. 

The soils are, without question, the 
most fertile in the State. The rich 
bottom lands of the Red River, the 
Brazos and the Colorado, are formed by 
the silt carried from the great Llano by 
these streams, far into Louisiana and to 
the Gulf. The prevailing soil 
is a dark -red sandy loam, 
changing to black loam in the 
"draws" and basins, and to 
a brighter red soil on the 
slightly higher-lying ridges. 
The more sandy land on the 
ridges is underlaid at a depth 
of four to eight feet with 
waterproof clay, which has 
the tendency to hold the 
water from the rains in place, 
and enables these soils to with- 
stand drouth to a remarkable 



were covered with heavy mesquite tim- 
ber. The charred stumps, many of them 
15 inches or more in diameter, show 
their destruction by fire. Fruit trees 
planted on the Llano grow with remark- 
able rapidity, and show that, under 
favorable conditions, forests could be 
easily created, if protected from the 
ravages of fire and cattle. 

The Llano is blessed with the finest 
pasturage in the State. The prevailing 
varieties of grasses are the mesquite, 
gramma, buffalo and wild rye, though a 





Strekt Scene, Midland. 

degree. Under all the soils there is a 
layer of marly limestone from 6 to 20 
feet thick. Under this, in a bed of 
gravel, is found most excellent water in 
the greatest abundance. 

Though apparently treeless, the Llano 
has an abundance of fuel. Mesquite 
trees of small growth are found almost 
everywhere. In the sand hill region, in 
Winkler County, there is evidence of a 
former forest of large oak trees, while 
in Midland and Martin Counties there 
are areas which, at .some not remote time, 



Stock Yards, Midland. 

considerable number of others 
are also found there. Most of , 
them cure on the ground in the 
winter time, afford excellent 
summer and winter pasturage, 
and are esteemed equal to the 
best cultivated hay. The Texas 
& Pacific land grant has yet 
in the market 62,991 acres in 
Martin County, 212,180 acres in 
Midland County, and 201,254 
acres in Ector Countv. 
MARTIN COUNTY lies on the eastern 
edge of the Plain, and its eastern 
boundary is well marked by the irregular 
line of bluffs forming the eastern edge 
of the Llano. The average altitude is 
2,850 feet. The mileage of the Texas 
& Pacific Railway in the county is 16.3 
miles. 

Stanton, the county seat, is the only 
town in the county. The general valu- 
ations of taxable property amount to 
$519,158. There is 1 school, 1 teacher, 
and 60 pupils, and one Catholic theo- 
logical seminary and monastery in the 
countv. Almost the entire business of 




the inhabitants is that of raising live 
stock. There are a number of fine irri- 
gated orchards, vineyards and gardens, 
but these are generally part of larger 
ranches. The live stock of the county 
consists of 485 horses and mules, valued 
at $8,394; 8,226 head of cattle, valued at 
$61,894; 11,215 sheep, valued at $11,215. 
The number of sheep sheared was 25,000, 
pounds of wool obtained, 175,000, and 
the value of the same was $12,250. 

MIDLAND COUNTY is the most popu- 
lous of the counties of the Plain. The 
Texas & Pacific Railway traverses it for 
a distance of 26 miles. The population 
is about 1,200. The assessed valuations 
of the county amount to $1,246,920. 
The county has 1 fine public school, 6 
teachers, and 303 pupils. The livestock 
consists of 2,008 horses and mules, valued 
at $33,107; 17,289 head of cattle, valued 
at $123,837; 24,700 head of sheep, valued 
at $24,700. and 41 hogs, valued at $133. 
The number of sheep sheared in the 
county was 77,450; pounds of wool ob- 
tained, 725,305, and value of wool, 
$32,529. 



Midland, the county seat, is 310 miles 
west of Fort Worth, and is a growing 
commercial center, attracting, as it does, 
a large trade from the extensive cattle 
ranges lying north, south and west for a 
distance of 150 miles. It is second to 
none in the State as a cattle shipping 
point, and its wool exports probably 
reach a million pounds per annum. It is 
a neat, well built town, with 4 churches, 
a large, commodious school building, a 
bank, 3 newspapers, 2 good hotels and a 
commodious court house. It covers an 
area of about a square mile, and most 
residences are surrounded by small, but 
very fine orchards, vineyards and gar- 
dens, which are irrigated from a forest 
of wind mills and tanks, of every make 
and design, some 400 being in use on the 
town site alone. 

ECTOR COUNTY is topographically a 
counterpart of Midland County. It has 
30.53 miles of railway and about 250 in- 
habitants, all of whom are engaged in 
cattle raising and wool growing. 

Odessa, population about 100, is the 
county seat. The taxable valuations 



m-rsrw Li,.]«.j-MJ..JU. SiWmwwP'W"^ 




CAiri-K Ranch, Kciok Cou.m v. 



amount to $69,223. There is 1 teacher, 
1 school house and 42 pupils in the 
county. The live stock consists of 1,846 
horses and mules, valued at $28,031; 
11,956 head of cattle, valued at |83,231; 
12,078 head of sheep, valued at |12,078, 
and 48 hogs, valued at $41. The num- 
ber of sheep sheared was 17,121; pounds 
of wool obtained, 85,605; the same 
valued at $4,400. 

WINKLER COUNTY lies on the west- 
ern edge of the Llano, part of it being 
on the plain and part in the Pecos Valley. 
It contains a most peculiar stretch of 
country known as the White Sand Hills, 
a strip of sand from 3 to 5 miles wide 
and 100 miles long. The highest point 
in the county is Douro Station, 3,100 
feet above sea level. The Sand Hills are 
500 feet lower, and between them and 
Douro Station are the western escarp- 
ments of the plain, extending in a ragged 
line of rugged bluffs northwestward until 
they form the bank of the Pecos River. 
The county is not organized. It affords 
good pasturage and has considerable live 
stock. In the Sand Hills large quanti- 
ties of canaigre, a tanning material, are 
annually gathered and shipped to 
European markets. One of the most 



remarkable features of the county is the 
vast amount of almost chemically pure 
water stored in the Sand Hills. 

Farming as a separate business is car- 
ried on to a very limited extent, and the 
crops grown are principally for home 
use. Sorghum for hay may be said to 
be the principal crop. Nearly all farms 
are carried on in connection with cattle 
and sheep ranches. In favorable years 
nearly all crops common to Texas can 
be grown, but as a rule the rainfall is too 
irregular for successful farming without 
irrigation. Most ranches have orchards 
and vineyards connected with them ; the 
surplus water from the supply for live 
stock being used for irrigation. "Wher- 
ever water is available, enormous yields 
of fruits and vegetables are obtained. 
Experience has demonstrated that this 
part of Texas is admirably adapted to 
the growth of all fine European, Cali- 
fornian and American table and raisin 
grapes, the commercial French and 
German prune, apricots, peaches, pears 
and apples. The irrigation carried on in 
connection with stock raising is inex- 
pensive, and makes fruit growing profit- 
able by securing large and certain 
returns. 




iNKyAKi) IN Midland County. 




Four-Ykar Old Pear Orchard, Ui'I'kr Valley. 

Zhe Pecos Dallc^^. 

loving, pccos, IReevce aiib Mal•^ Counties, Zexas. 



THE several counties Ijorderiiig" on the 
Pecos River in Texas, and the con- 
tiguous counties in New Mexico, 
are so much alike in their natural char- 
acteristics and topographical features, 
that a description of one would convey a 
fairly correct idea of them all. Their 
present and future prosperity, as agri- 
cultural counties, depends upon the one 
common source of wealth, the Pecos 
River and its tributaries. Without the 
magnificent irrigating facilities now 
possessed and made possible by this 
stream, and the future developments in 
the same lines that can yet be made, this 
whole scope of handsome country would 
forever remain the domain of nomadic 
stockmen and sheep herders. 

The existing system of irrigation 
canals, extending up and down the river 
for a distance of 200 miles or more, 
makes this section one possessing a great 
variety of resources, and offering to in- 
tending settlers matiy attractions not 
found elsewhere in Texas. It affords an 
unlimited pasturage for those who wish 
to engage in the raising of cattle, horses 
or sheep. The natural grasses are 
luxuriant in their growth and highly 
nutritious. The irrigated lands along 
the river and several of its tributaries, 
afford most profitable emplo3-ment for 



the stock farmer, the raiser of fine hogs, 
fat butcher's cattle or mutton sheep, for 
the general farmer, for the grower of fancy 
fruits, for the commercial truck farmer, 
for the grower of fancy European table 
and raisin grapes and for the bee-keeper. 

In the mountains forming the western 
borderof the valley precious minerals are 
known to exist, and gold and silver have 
been profitably mined for a number of 
years. The seeker after health, particu- 
larly when suffering from catarrh, asthma, 
consumption, bronchitis, or chronic 
troubles like rheumatism, gout, dys- 
pepsia, etc., can not go amiss anywhere 
in this valley, for its climate is unexcelled 
and mineral waters of nearly all kinds 
can be found in great variety. 

The part of the Pecos Valley intended 
to be described herein, extends from the 
rocky bluffs on the western edge of the 
Llano Estacado to the Davis, Guadaloupe, 
White and Capitan Mountains, the dis- 
tance between the two elevations being 
from sixty to eighty miles, and from the 
mouth of the Hondo River to the Grand 
Falls of the Pecos River, a distance of 
over two hundred miles. The valley can 
best be described as a huge shallow 
trough, the center of which is 500 feet 
lower than the bluffs of the Llano. At 
the Grand Falls its altitude is about 2,500 



feet above sea level, and at Roswell, on 
the Hondo River, 3,800 feet. The Pecos 
River, a perpetual, swiftly flowing stream, 
has a length of about 1,200 miles, rises 
high in the Rocky IMountains and derives 
much of its waters from the melting 
snows. After winding its way through 
the mountains and over elevated table- 
lands for a distance of five hundred 
miles, it reaches the smooth, even prairie 
lands, now under irrigation. Further 
south it cuts its channel deep into the 
surface, and at its mouth its bed is fully 
six hundred feet below the level of the 
country, with banks so steep as to be 
very difficult of approach. 

The irrigable part of the valley is a 
narrow strip of land from four to eight 
miles wide, sometimes on one and some- 
times on the other side of the river, 
extending from Roswell, N. M., to Grand 
Falls, Tex., a stretch of more than 200 
miles. In this strip of land are nearly 
all the irrigating canals, the farms, 
orchards and vineyards, towns and popu- 
lation of the valley. Minor irrigated 
strips of land extend up Toyah Creek, 
Black River, Penasco River, North and 
South Spring Rivers and the Hondo. 
The Pecos Valley Railway, running 
parallel with the river for a distance of 
165 miles, from Pecos City to Roswell, 
traverses fully four- fifths of the irrigated 
area, the remainder being traversed by, 
or of easy access to, the Texas & Pacific 
Railway. 

The Canal System is the largest in the 
United States, and the second in magni- 



tude on earth. It is operated by several 
different companies. The canals at Ros- 
well, N. M., owned by the Roswell Land 
and Water Co., are sufficient in capacity 
to irrigate 35,000 acres, some 15,000 
acres being in cultivation. The Northern 
Canal, in Chaves County, N. M., owned 
by the Pecos Irrigation and Improvement 
Company, has a length of thirty-five 
miles and irrigates 67,000 acres. The 
Southern Canal and McMillan and Lake 
View Reservoirs, in Eddy Count}', N. M., 
owned by the same company, has a 
length of forty miles, a width of forty 
feet and a depth of seven feet. A branch 
on the east side of the river is nineteen 
miles long. This canal is estimated to irri- 
gate 200,000 acres. TheHagerman Canal, 
in the same county, will irrigate 15,000 
acres. The Highland Canal, in Reeves 
County, Texas, is now thirteen miles 
long and will have a length of forty-two 
miles when completed. It will irrigate 
35,000 acres. The canals above men- 
tioned are already constructed, and com- 
prise 1,294 miles of main canal, main 
lateral canals and sub-lateral canals. In 
Reeves County is also the Pioneer Canal, 
with a length of seventeen miles, and a 
branch canal running through Ward 
County. When completed, this canal 
system will irrigate 100,000 acres. On 
Toyah Creek, in Reeves County, is a 
net-work of canals capable of irrigating 
25,000 acres. It is sufficiently developed 
to irrigate 10,000 acres now in cultivation. 
In Loving County, is a partly com- 
pleted canal intended to irrigate about 




\K Hi 1- IS I.N Ul'l'EK \'.\LLEY. 



15,000 acres. At Grand Falls in Pecos 
County, some 15 miles south of Pyote 
Station, on the Texas & Pacific Railway, 
is the canal of the Grand Falls Irrigation 
& Colonization Company, which when 
completed will irrigate 25,000 acres. 
On the east side of the rfver, in Crane 
County, Tex., is another canal, capable 
of irrigating 10,000 acres. The various 
private water rights on Black River, the 
Upper Penasco, Hondo River, Rocky 
Arroya, Delaware Creek in New Mexico, 
and Phantom Lake, Limpia Canon, Fort 
Davis, Fort Stockton, and the several 
artesian wells scattered through the 
valley will aggregate 15,000 acres more. 
The tillable land in the valley may be 
safely estimated at 542,000 acres, of 
which one-fifth is probably in actual 
cultivation, and four- fifths under actual 
irrigation. 

Practical agriculture and horticulture 
have been successfully carried on for 
twenty years or more in several locations 
in the valley, and wherever the work of 
farming was done intelligently and con- 
scientiously, the results obtained have 
been highly satisfactory. 

The crops preferably grown are alfalfa, 
Indian corn, and the various kinds of 
non- saccharine sorghums for forage, 
and the same are extensively used in the 
raising and fattening of hogs, muttons 
and butchers' beef. Alfalfa yields from 
four to eight tons to the acre, and is cut 
from four to five times during the year. 
Indian corn, Egj'ptian corn, milo maize, 
Kafhr corn, African millet, yield from 
30 to 60 bushels. Where the farmer has 
considerable live stock to which he can 
feed these crops, they are highly profit- 
able. Sorghum sugar cane, used for 
making syrup, or as hay yields from 
four to twelve tons per acre. Wheat, 
oats, barley, rye yield from 30 to 50 
bushels, though very little of the cereals 
are grown. They are usually sown from 



September to December and are har- 
vested between the first and middle of 
May, leaving ample time to grow a 
second croj) on the same land. Cotton 
of exceptionally fine quality is grown, 
the yield being from ^4 to 1 bale to the 
acre. 

The vegetable and commercial truck 
gardens yield enormousl)', and arc the 
money-makers of the valley. Texas 
affords an unlimited market for the late 
vegetables of all sorts, and the Pecos 
Valley is the nearest point of supply. 
The fall garden of the Pecos Valley pro- 
duces in the greatest abundance and in 
the finest quality, from 500 to SOO 
bushels of onions to the acre, and from 
200 to 600 bushels of sweet potatoes. 
Sugar beets yield from 18 to 22 tons to 
the acre and carry from 15 to 21 percent 
of sugar, the highest percentage ob- 
tained anywhere in the United States. 
The manufacture of beet root sugar 
will, within a few years, become the 
most important industry in the valley. 
There is now in course of construction 
at Eddy, New Mexico, a beet root sugar 
factor}' having a capacit}' of 225 tons of 
raw sugar beets per day. The product 
of the factory will be 35 tons of fine granu- 
lated sugar per day for a period of 150 
days each year. The beets are planted 
in April, May, June and Jul}\ and con- 
tain the highest percentage of sugar in 
October, November, December, January, 
February and March. The ])roduct of 
3,500 acres will be required to keep the 
factory going. This crop is valued at 
14.00 to $5.50 per ton, according to the 
percentage of sugar contained in the 
beets, and the revenue obtained by the 
farmers varies from $40 to $150 per 
acre. The price is paid at any point in 
the valley. The supply of beets is not 
nearly sufficient to maintain the factory 
at its full capacity. 

Irish potatoes 5ield very well on some 








Sheep Ranch Near Barstow, Ward County. 



farms, but the yield is not uniformly 
satisfactory. The celery excels in 
quality that grown in Michigan or Cali- 
fornia. Cabbage, cauliflower, rhubarb, 
tomatoes, asparagus, etc., can be grown 
in any desired quantity, and will sell in 
any market. They can be produced un- 
til the frosts come in January, and can 
be shipped after the earlier gardens are 
exhausted. 

In the matter of fruits, few countries 
are better situated. The dry climate 
makes it possible to produce all the 
fancj' grapes of Europe and California, 
to produce raisins and prunes, pears, 
peaches, (juinces, plums and apples. 
The orchards, and there are many 
hundreds of acres in fruits, are entirely 
free from insect or fungus plagues of 
any kind. The apples of the Upper 
Pecos Valley are absolutely perfect in 
flavor, size, form and color, and free 
from blemishes of every kind. One 
orchard of 60,000 a])ple trees was planted 
a year ago at Roswell, and a second 
orchard of 4,000 acres is now being pre- 
pared for planting. Near Eddy is a 
vineyard a square mile in extent. The 
number of trees planted in the entire 
valley within the last three or four years 
will exceed one-half million in number. 

There are a number of small but pros- 
])erous towns in the valley, all of them 



situated in the midst of large, irrigable 
areas, which as soon as settled upon 
will assure them a rapid and permanent 
growth. 

Barstow, county seat of Ward County, 
situated on the Texas & Pacific Railway, 
is 6 miles east of Pecos City. It is a 
neatly built city of about 200 inhabitants, 
surrounded in all directions by well-kept 
farms and orchards. Some2,000to 3,000 
acres are in actual cultivation within 
sight of town. The irrigable lands com- 
prise about 25,000 to 40,000 acres in the 
countv, and are supplied by the Pioneer 
Canal'. 

Pecos City is the county seat of 
Reeves County, is 432 miles west of 
Dallas on the Texas & Pacific Railwaj-, 
and has 1,500 inhabitants. It has a 
large ranch trade, and also is the supply 
point for the several smaller towns 
remote from the Railway. The]5roducts 
of al)out 150,000 acres of irrigable lands, 
when settled u]jon, will be shipped 
through this point. Some 22,500 bush- 
els of corn, 600 bushels of oats, 4,900 
bushels of sweet potatoes, 210 tons of 
hay and 780 bushels of beans were pro- 
duced in 1893. In 1894 the live stock of 
the countv consisted of 2,807 horses and 
mules, 19',860 head of cattle, 278 jacks 
and jennets, 32,150 head of sheep, 422 
goats and 65 hogs. 



Toyahvale is a small village, situated 
near the head of Toyah Creek, 20 miles 
south from Toyah Station on the Texas 
& Pacific Railway, and about 10 miles 
east of the Davis Mountains, It lies in 
one of the prettiest valleys in Texas, in 
the midst of some 25,000 acres of irrig- 
able land, surrounded by mountains on 
every side. It is an ideal spot for the 
invalid, and for the sportsman who 
enjoys hunting and fishing. Some 20 
.miles down Toyah Creek is Toyah Lake, 
a body of salt water some 4 or 5 miles 
long and 2*2 to 3 miles wide, affording 
splendid bathing, boating and hunt- 
ing — a sportsman's paradise, where 
innumerable water fowl abound summer 
and winter. 

Roswell is the county seat of Chaves 
County, New Mexico, and the terminus 
of the Pecos Valley Railway. It is a 
well built town of 1,500 inhabitants. 
New buildings to the value of f;i50,000 
have been erected within the past year. 
Its location is in the centre of the most 
charming agricultural district to be 
found within a radius of 1,000 miles. 
The town was settled in 1880, and 
around it have been planted about 
10,000 acres of orchards, vineyards, 
gardens and farms, which have reached 
a mature growth and indicate what the 
rest of the valley will look like after a 
similar period of growth. 



Santa Lucia is a newly laid out town 
in Pecos County, at the head of the 
Grand Falls Irrigation Company's 
Canal. It is easily reached from Pyote 
Station on the Texas & Pacific Railway, 
and also from Pecos City, though the 
latter is the longer route. Some 25,000 
acres of irrigable land surround this 
town. About 40 families have estab- 
lished themselves here during the pres- 
ent year. 

Mentone, county seat of Loving 
County, opposite Riverton Station on 
the Pecos Valley Railwaj', is a new 
town recently established on the Loving 
County Canal. 

tddy, county seat of Eddy County, 
New Mexico, is on the Pecos Valley 
Railway and on the we.st bank of the 
Pecos River. It has 2,000 inhabitants 
and is surrounded by numerous fine 
farms, orchards and vineyards. It has 
first class hotel accommodations and is a 
famous resort for con.sumptives during 
the winter months. It has 6 churches, 
a fine brick public school, waterworks, 
electric lights, an ice factory, a bank, a 
number of large mercantile houses, a fruit 
cannery, a beetroot sugar factory capable 
of producing 35 tons of fine granulated 
sugar per day, and a water-power fully de- 
veloped and sufficient for a number of 
large factories. There are many fine 
residences and several large parks. 



m 



.-^^ 




N*fc^.-'-: 




ALi-ALFA— Pecos valley. 



.1 :,' } Ihe 

the' Rio 

It lies 



l£l Ipaeo Count\>. 



THE County of El Paso 
is situated in the ex- 
treme western part ot 
the State, bounded on tlu 
north by New Mexico, on the .. ^ 
State of Chihuahua, Mexico, 
Grande forming the boundary, 
between longitude 104 degrees and 106 
degrees west, and between latitude 31 
degrees and 32 degrees north. It has a 
frontage of 147 miles on the Rio Grande, 
and an area of 8,460 square miles, being 
about twice as large as Delaware and six 
times as large as Rhode Island. 

Much of the surface of the county is 
mountainous, being traversed by the 
Guadaloupe, Hueco, Carrizo, Franklin, 
Quitman, Diabolo and Eagle Mountains. 
Between these several ranges lie exten- 
sive grass-covered table lands and plains. 
Of the whole area not more than 100 
square miles are timbered lands, the 
timber consisting of Cottonwood, pine, 
mesquite and tornillo. The pineries are 
situated in the Guadaloupe Mountains 
north of the eastern end of the county. 
They are difficult of access, but the 
quality of the pine is good, and affords 
excellent timber for building. The Cot- 
tonwood is found in the immediate valley 
of the Rio Grande and is much used for 
fuel. 

The county has been settled since 1620, 
at which time the Spanish Jesuits estab- 
lished themselves in the valley of the 
Rio Grande. Before their time there 
existed a number of Pueblo villages, one 
of them, the 
present town of ===5==,*.^— ^^-.^^ __, „„^,„„ „ 

Ysleta, still ex- 
ists. Through 
the efforts of the 




Padres, land grants were se- 
cured for several colonies, 
namely: Socorro, San Eli- 
zario and Ysleta, and a line 
of Indian and Spanish settle- 
ments was established along the valley. 
The soil of the Rio Grande Valley is a 
pure alluvium, from 2 to 10 feet deep, 
resting on a bed of sand, and is remark- 
ably adapted to the production of grain 
and vegetables. All farming operations 
are dependent entirely on irrigation, 
and the available acreage is limited en- 
tirely by the quantity of water that is 
available for that purpose. Fruit trees 
attain very large dimensions, and pear 
trees especiall}', are believed to be the 
largest of their kind in America, some 
of them measuring from 3 to 4 feet in 
diameter. Other fruits, and 
notably grapes, are delicious in 
quality and find a ready market 
whenever offered. The annual 
shipments of grapes alone 
amount to some 15,000 to 
20,000 baskets. The average 
yield per acre of the staple 
crops is, of wheat, 20 to 
40 bushels ; of corn , ^ 

30 bushels ; of oats , ^^ ^ 

50 bushels; of 
Irish potatoes, 
150 bushels ; of 




ViKWS 

IN El Paso. 

1, San Antonio St 

2, First Baptist 

Church. 

3, Fed(?ral BuiUlin 

4, Sheldon Block. 

5, Central School. 



sweet potatoes, 200l)ushels; of alfalfa, 4 
tons; of hay, 3 tons. There are in 
cultivation about 6,000 acres, yielding 
in 1894, 27,567 bushels of corn^ 39,cS05 
bushels of wheat, 1,360 bushels of oats, 
6,305 bushels of barley, 5,480 l)ushels 
of sweet potatoes, 1,140 bushels of Irish 
potatoes, 4,321 bushels of beans and 
peas, 8,131 tons of alfalfa, the whole 
valued at |117,564. The ])roducts of the 
orchard, garden and ^^^^^ apiary were 

valued as 

follows : 

Peaches, 

$10,885; 

apples, 

118,620; 

\ -^ ....aatfiflBHJH^B plums, 

^3,425; 




ains; black and variegated marble in 
the Franklin Range; red sandstone in 
Diabolo; limestone is found in many 
places; coal is found near the Eagle 
Springs in the Eagle Mountains ; salt is 
found in the greatest abundance in the 
eastern part of the county, and at the 
base of the Guadaloupe Mountains are 
forty square miles of sulphur deposits; 
gyi)sum occurs in a number of places. 

The pasturage of the table lands of El 
Paso County is capable of sustaining 
many thousand animals, as nearly all 
the plains and many of the mountain 
sides are covered with gramma grass. 
It is a bunch grass, which retains its 
.succulence and nutritive substance dur- 
ing the winter months, even when, to 
outward a])pearance, it is drv and ik-.ul. 



pears, $14,- 
610; melons, $4,430; 
garden truck $61 ,385 ; 
grapes, $21,525, and 
honey, $705; total 
value of garden, or- 
chard and general 
farm products, $253,- 
099. The annual rain- 
fall varies between 12 
and 18 inches, and 
beyond assuring good 

pasturage, has little direct effect on the 
production of crops. 

Out of the confines of the valley, min- 
ing and the raising of live stock are the 
engrossing pursuits of the people. The 
mineral resources of El Paso 
County, though yet undeveloped , 
consist of nearly all varieties ol *^ ' 
ores. Traces of gold have been 
found in most of the mountain 
ranges and in the ravines empty- 
ing into the Rio Grande. 

Good silver ore in workal)le 
quantity has been partially 
developed in the Quitman, Car- 
rizo, Diabolo, Eagle and IMalone 
Mountains; copper in the Car- 
rizo, Diabolo and Quitman 
Ranges ; lead in all of them ; tin 
in small quantity in the Quit- 
man ; iron and lead ores in the 
Franklin Range; zinc in tlif 
Quitman Mountains. Fine white 
and ro.se-colored marble is 
abundant in the Carrizo Mount- 




TllK S.Mt.LlER AT V.V. l'.A.SO. 

The live stock in the county in 1894 con- 
sisted of 3,880 head of horses and mules, 
valued at $68,225; 16,115 head of cattle, 
valued at $92,808; 32 jacks and jennets, 
valued at $237; 10,695 sheep, valued at 







\\ 



.Mkxicax UATKR CaRRIFR'^ 



$12,100; 1,948 goats, valued at $1,926; 
and 97 hogs, valued at |519; total value, 
1175,812. 

The county has the greatest railway 
mileage of any county in the State, the 
Texas & Pacific, the Galveston, Harris- 
burg & San Antonio and other roads 
having a combined mileage of 332.15 
miles. The various christian churches 




Bringing in Wood on Burros. 

are well represented. The population of 
the county for 1890 is given at 15,678, of 
whom 10,338 are resident at El Paso, 
the county seat, 1,528 at Ysleta, and 
1,397 at San EHzario. The assessed 
value of property in 1894 is given at 
$9,261,875. Improved irrigated lands 
sell at prices ranging from $20 to $150 
per acre. Unimproved pasture lands 
can be had at $1.00 to $3.00 per acre. 
The Texas & Pacific land grant has for 
sale 1,125,884 acres. 

El Paso has 13,000 inhabitants, and a 
very complete city school system ; that of 
the county consists of 10 school houses. 



and 13 teachers are employed. The 
school population is 1,398. 

The city of El Paso is 646 miles west 
of Dallas, and lies 3,670 feet above .sea 
level. It is picturesquely located between 
Mount Franklin on the American side, 
and the Sierra Madre on the Mexican 
side of the river. Its fame as a health 
resort has made it the objective point of 
many wealthy tourists and 
=- -— =T travellers. Up to the year 
1880 it was a stagnant Mexi- 
can village, but with the 
advent of the several rail- 
way lines it was suddenly 
converted into an active 
modern American city, with 
handsome business blocks, 
elegant brick residences, 
telephone and telegraph 
:i lines, street rail ways, electric 
1^^ light, waterworks, fire de- 
,^^H partment, a magnificent 
-=^^B court house unsurpassed for 
beauty of architecture, and 
two large smelting works. 
It is the best and most sub- 
built city in all Texas. 
The small private enterprises consist of 
ice and refrigerating works, a foundry, 
cornice works, 3 banks, 3 dailj' and 1 
weekly newspapers, and some 250 mer- 
cantile establishments. 

Ysleta, formerly county seat, and, 
probably, the oldest town in the United 
States, is situated in the midst of the 
finest orchards, vineyards and gardens 
in the valley. It is twelve miles from 
El Paso, and contains a flouring mill, 
church and school, and, during the 
summer months, ships large quantities 
of fruits. 



stantially 




XLdc Cotton Belt IRoutc. 



THIS important system forms the principal highway from the North, 
East and Southeast into Texas, over which thousands go annually 
in quest of new homes and more favorable surroundings. It is an 
ideal route for the intending settler, reaching as it does many of the 
principal points and much of the very best agricultural portions of the 



TE)?w{ia>[r: 




\VILLE ST. 3U'(;.vf:"r./ 
\CORYELl/\ .'^ 



State of Texas. Entering the State at Texarkana, in the extreme 
northeastern portion, the Cotton Belt Route traverses Bowie, Morris, 
Titus, Franklin, Hopkins, Hunt, Fannin and Grayson Counties to the 
city of Sherman, the county seat of Grayson County and one of the 
principal commercial centers of Texas, having passed through the 
prosperous little cities of Mt. Pleasant, Sulphur Springs, Commerce, 



Wolfe City and White wright. From Commerce, in Hunt County, a 
portion of this system extends in a southwesterly direction through 
Hunt, Collin, Dallas and Tarrant Counties to Ft. Worth, the county 
seat of the latter county and one of the first cities of Texas in commercial 
importance. 

From Mt. Pleasant, the county seat of Titus County, the main line 
of the Cotton Belt Route extends in a southwesterly direction through 
Camp, Upshur and Smith Counties, which, together with Cherokee and 
Angelina Counties, comprise the famous "Fruit Belt of Texas." This 
section of the State offers unequaled inducements for industrious fruit 
growers and small truck farmers. 

All kinds of fruit and vegetables are a certain crop in this locality 
and can be procured for shipment to northern markets as early as they 
can from southern Georgia and Florida. 

The fact that the products of this section can reach the northern 
markets so early insures fancy prices for everything produced. 

The excellent railroad facilities of these counties places them in 
close communication with Hot Springs, Memphis, St. L,ouis, Kansas 
Cit}^ and Chicago, which gives them a manifest advantage over other 
sections for the marketing of early products. 

Continuing southwesterlj^ from Smith County through Henderson, 
Navarro, Hill and McLennan Counties to Gatesville, the county seat of 
Corj'ell County, the main line of the Cotton Belt Route passes through 
the very heart of what is termed the "Black Waxie" section of Texas. 
This portion of the State is exceptionally productive and great quantities 
of cotton and cereals are raised there every year. The cities of Tyler, 
Corsicana, Waco and Hillsboro are located on this portion of the line 
and rank among the more important trade centres of Texas. 

At Gatesville, in Coryell County, the extreme eastern border of the 
great cattle growing section is reached, and this prosperous little city of 
3,000 people is a great shipping point for this section of the State. 

From Tyler, in a southeasterly direction, a branch of the Cotton 
Belt Route extends through Smith, Cherokee and Angelina Counties to 
Lufkin, the county seat of the latter count}'. This portion of the line 
traverses the famous fruit belt about which mention was made above. 

A skeleton map of the Cotton Belt Route is given on the preceding 
page, showing the counties through which the line runs, and it will give a 
fair idea of how thoroughly the best portions of the State are covered by 
this line. The followingl^ages will be devoted to a more detailed description 
of the counties traversed by the Cotton Belt Route with the exception of 
Bowie, Upshur, Fannin, Grayson, Dallas and Tarrant Counties. These 
counties are also reached by the Texas & Pacific Railway, and included 
in the description of the counties on that line. For this reason they are 
omitted here, to save space. 

A complete county map of Texas and adjoining States, as well as 
other descriptive matter, will cheerfully be furnished upon application to 
E. W. LaBeaume, General Passenger and Ticket Agent, St. Louis, Mo. 



Until recently the opinion seemed to be prevalent among- Northern 
larmers that the only crop grown profitably in Texas was '"otton, but of 
late this impression has gradually been disappearing, and the immigra- 
tion into Texas the last few years has been more general. The idea that 
a Texas farmer must needs grow cotton has deterred numbers of Northern 
farmers from emigrating to that State, as they were naturally loath to 
embark in the production <Df an article in the growth of which they had 
had no experience. 

When one considers that the State of Texas contains an area of 
250,004 square miles of land, and 2,510 square miles of water surface, 
composed of lakes and bays, an area equal to about 8.7 per cent of the 
entire area of all States and Territories of the United States combined, it 
will not seem surprising that in this vast area almost every product 
native to this country can be successfully raised. 

Statistics compiled by the Government clearly demonstrate the 
capabilities of the soil of Texas. 

The State justlj' laj^s claim to a greater variety and richness of soil 
than any State in the Union, black waxy, black sandy, black pebbly, 
hog wallow, gray sandy, red sandy and sandy loam, and alluvial soils, 
each being found in the State. 

The careful reader of the following pages will notice the remarkably 
favorable showing the corn, wheat and oat crops make in the list of 
products raised in each of the counties described herein. 

If comparisons were drawn it would be found that the corn crop 
alone would almost equal, and in some instances, exceed, the cotton crop 
for the county, to say nothing of wheat, oats, hay, sweet and Irish 
potatoes, peas, beans, garden truck and fruits, each of which has no 
inconsiderable acreage in each county. From this it will be seen that the 
farmer from any portion of this country can find a congenial home in this 
great State, where he can produce that to which he has been accustomed, 
or if he chooses, any other of the products of the State. 

Nothing is intended here to belittle cotton as a i^roduct, for it can 
not be denied that it forms one of the i)rinci])al agricultural interests of 
the State, the idea being only to dissipate the impression among 
"outsiders" of the singleness of the crop of the State of Texas. 



FULL INFORMATION WILL BE CHEERFULLY GIVEN UPON APPLICATION 
TO ANY OF THE FOLLOWING: 

C. P. Rector, Commercial Agent, Memphis, Tenn. 

W. C. Peeler, Traveling Freight and Passenger Agent, Memphis, Tenn. 

H. J. Bailey, City Passenger Agent, Memphis, Tenn. 

W. A. McQuowN, Traveling Passenger Agent, Louisville, Ky. 

Fred H. Jones, District Passenger Agent, Atlanta, Ga. 

M. Adami, Traveling Passenger Agent, Cairo, 111. 

W. G. Adams, Traveling Passenger Agent, Nashville, Tenn. 

H. H. Sutton, Traveling Passenger Agent, Chattanooga, Tenn. 

J. E. Davenport, Passenger and Ticket Agent, St. Louis, Mo. 

J. H. Jones, Pas.senger and Ticket Agent, Cairo, 111. 

A. A. Gllsson, Traveling Passenger Agent, Ft. Worth, Texas. 

S. G. Warner, Gen'l Passenger Agent Lines in Texas, Tyler, Texas. 

E. \^'. LaBeaume, Gen'l Passenger and Ticket Agent, St. Louis, Mo. 



MAR OR TH E 

Cotton Belt 

route: 

st. louis southwestern railway. 



„J^ 



Aah G 
JCarthase 



Osceola 
ElVorado 

T^ Lebanon 
Buckley 

Springfield 



Versailles 'J" 




Annapolis^ra^^^l'er^ 



V^ T— oil: Van Huron ,^<;^_>-< r, H '""ir SS\ 'ffr-^ 

\, Willow Spr»7c^- ■Williaros' . IdaliJf / yWi-Vj'*? 'j 



miw' 



^apulpa'^' 



'^^. 



I- 

Sulpl 

r 

FaVet 

TAHLEdU 
(ftl 1 



Doniphano,,^! J 1 Mt4^^^\& 

Mammoth SprsY Corning'^" J^^t'X'^^P^ '''^■D^O 
Knobfk'- Aml.i^„%y/ RivcaVw Y" 



,/* S \ \ /\ t Vrs. Wntonnlle o cJ, 

'/ V_ * Vvs ' I XTc .. , Mountain Home " 

/ ^^ I CClaroinore 1 « Spnngdale 

/ X I ZA / • I l« nii.......!,i. Cushma.. . -v/i/^/(„v^,-j.,;f-uor' // / 

^tff'.''b„f& n^ '"On /Bi/wns V. 



JHuntsville 
D St. Paul 



Cusbman'a Oi/f^o^y 



t 



:\r<liiior< 

MsAr 




Clinton o 
O'Russcllvill 



nardanclle ^jp^S$ "^"''^'""^f*] 
Mansfield ^ ' ' 




/ClarksdaUl 
^Shclbj 



1 TupiioJ 
Muldonl 



) ■* o V ,<%:% ^V^Wo^ "" Oeteet- ■;» / / ^ Parsons 



Agnoi 



lsS^*mi^^4^1v'""^^ iEldorado 

h£^/ <?^''-Iv»-^ '-^%/^^^^ T'^ fl Bradley 

J Plain Deal! 
lAlden Uridgc 



'IPaIr8-Wl|,;,t" 

^^Vrl^ lsau"^ugu. 




Morris Counts?, ^eiae. 



THIS county lies in the northeastern 
portion of the State, and is sepa- 
rated from Red River b}- the 
County of Bowie, and from 
the east boundary of the 
State by the County of 
Cass. It was formed in 
1875, of a portion of Titus 
County, and has an area 
of 267 square miles, or 
170,880 acres. This, one 
of the small counties of 
the State, is 30 miles in length, • 
with an average width of about **. 
9 miles, the entire area being 
originally covered with dense 
timber. 

The St. Louis Southwestern 
R'y, or Cotton Belt Route, passes east and 
west through the northern part, and, 
reaching this county during the summer 
or fall of 1877, the Sherman, Shreveport 
& Southern Railway through the south- 
ern part of the county. The two lines 
of railway have 22.02 miles in the county, 
the same being valued at $195,225. 

The population in 1890 was 6,580, of 
whom 600 were resident at Daingerfield, 
the county seat, 500 at Omaha, 700 at 
Naples and 205 at Cason — the four prin- 
cipal trading towns. The assessed valu- 
ations of the county for 1894 amount to 
$885,887, of which |195,225 was railway 
property and $108,667 was live stock. 
The county has a total school population 
of 1,743, with 34 school houses and 40 
teachers. 

The topography of the county can be 
best described as follows : The northern 
part is slightly undulating, and the 
southern somewhat hilly and broken. 
Sulphur River forms the north, and 
Cypress Creek, the south boundary, the 
former flowing into Red River directly, 
and the latter through Caddo Lake; 
and these streams, together with Boggy, 
Britons and Beaver Creeks, and a num- 
ber of smaller streams, distribute an 
abundant and convenient water .supply 
over the entire county. Good water for 
domestic purposes is obtained from wells, 
- r which are usuallv of 






Scenes in 
AND Around Naples. 



aI)Uii(lant 

supi)lies 
of excellent 
water. The 
mean annual 
rainfall is 46 
inches, and the 
seasons, as a 
rule, are pro- 
pitious for di- 
versified farm- 
ing. 

The forests' 
growth, much 
of which is very 
large, includes pine, post oak, red oak, 
hickory, walnut, black-jack, sweet-gum, 
ash, elm, haw, chinc}uapin, dogwood, 
sumac and wild cherry. Quite an ex- 
tensive lumber business is carried on , the 
lumber product shipped being largel}' in 
the form of house-builders' lumber, 
shingles, post oak railroad ties, and 
heavy piling. Sawmills doing a good 
business are located at Naples, Dainger- 
field and Cason. Iron ore abounds in 
the county, and is believed to be of a 
workable quality, but the extent and 
value of the deposits have not yet been 
determined by mining or systematic 
examination. Chalybeate waters are 
found in many parts of the county, and 
are claimed to greatly benefit people 
suffering from general debility. The 
altitude of the county is about 600 feet 
above sea level, and in general public 
health is good, except in some of the 
creek bottoms, where malaria occasion 
ally occurs during the summer and fall. 
Fully nine-tenths of the surface of the 
county is tillable, the soil varying from 
a dark rich alluvium on the creeks and 
in the bottoms, to gray sandy lands on 
the uplands. In the more elevated parts 
of the countv a chocolate-colored soil, 



largely impregnated with iron, is pre- 
dominant. The production per acre, 
under ordinary favorable conditions and 
proper tillage is, of cotton, from one- 
third to two-thirds of a bale; corn, 25 
to 30 bushels; wheat, 10 to 15 ; oats, 25 
to 40; rye, 15 to 25; barley, 30 to 50; 
molasses, 250 gallons; sorghum syrup, 
200; potatoes, Irish, 100 bushels; sweet, 
250 to 300. All vegetal)les common to 
this latitude yield abundantly. There 
are a large number of small orchards of 
apples, peaches plums and other fruits. 
With proper attention all the ordinary 
varieties of fruit trees make a vigorous 
growth and bear well. 

There are 621 farms in the county, 
varying in area from 20 to 200 acres. 
The entire acreage in cultivation (1894) 
was 29,666 acres, which produced 5,916 
bales of cotton; 248,490 bushels of corn; 
12,210 bushels of oats; 20,130 bushels of 
sweet potatoes; 5,125 bushels of Irish 
potatoes; 510 gallons of sorghum syrup, 
161 tons of sorghum cane and 2,982 tons 
of cotton seed, the entire crop being 
valued at |392,072. The acreage in 
orchard and garden amounted to 452 
acres in peaches, valued at $12,310; 286 
in apples, valued at $990; 51 acres in 
pears, plums and grapes, valued at 
$1,155; 85 acres in melons, valued at 
$3,835, and 168 acres in garden, valued 
at $12,860. 

The county is not well adapted to 
stock raising as a distinct business, and 
but little stock is raised except in 
connection with farming operations. 
The live stock of the countv consists 
(1894) of 1,022 horses and mules, 4,167 
cattle, 33 jacks and jennets, 1,092 sheep, 
333 goats, and 5,122 hogs, the whole 
valued at $108,667. The prevailing grass 
is sedge, which affords indifferent winter 
pasturage. Along several of the streams 
there is a heavy growth of switch cane, 
on which cattle keep in good condition 
all winter. 



Improved lands can be had at prices 
ranging from $5 to $25 per acre, unim- 
proved lands generally at $2 to $5 per 
acre. 

Fruit and Vegetable Culture — 
The central location of this county, and 
general quality of the lands, make it 
particularly desirable as a point for those 
wishing to engage in the cultivation of 
vegetables or fruits for early market, to 
locate. It has excellent railroad con- 
nections with Hot Springs, Arkansas, 
where there is a great demand for early 
fruits and vegetables, with Memphis, St. 
Louis, Kansas City and Chicago. All 
kinds of fruits are a certain crop in this 
latitude, and vegetables can be produced 
for shipment to the northern markets, 
almost as early here as they can be in 
southern Georgia and Florida. Straw- 
berries are a natural product. The fact 
that the products of this locality can 
reach northern markets so early, insures 
fancy prices for everything produced. 
Lands for fruit culture or truck farms 
can be bought cheaply, or can be rented 
on easy terms in any part of the county. 
Railroad rates for the shipment of fruits 
and vegetables are already very low, but 
an increased output of these products 
would be encouraged by the railroads 
with even lower rates. 



Tlowns on 



''Ubc Cotton 
iRoute." 



Belt 



Naples, formerly Station Belden, on 
the St. Louis Southwestern Railway, 
has about 700 inhabitants, 12 mercan- 
tile houses, a bank, a newspaper, 2 
churches, 2 district schools, 2 steam 
grist mills and cotton-gins, and a steam 
sawmill. 

Omaha, located on the same railway, 
has 500 inhabitants, 3 churches, a school, 
2 hotels, 3 gins and grist mills, and 8 
mercantile houses. 




ScisNic Ni.AK Omaha. 




Nursery— Titus County. 



XTitue County, ticxas. 



THIS county is in the second tier of 
counties in Northeastern Texas, 
and is bounded on the north b\- 
Red River County. It is the third 
county west of the Louisiana State line, 
Camp County lying immediately south 
of it and being separated from it by Big 
Cypress Creek. 

The surface of the county is every- 
where sufficiently rolling and undulating 
for thorough drainage, rising occasion- 
ally into low hills, which alternate with 
narrow valleys. About eight-tenths of 
the area, which is 420 miles, or 268,800 
acres, was originally covered with a 
heavy forest growth, consisting of white 
oak, red oak, post oak, pin oak and 
water oak, hickor}', black jack, pine, 
ash, walnut, maple, lime, dogwood, 
sj'camore, pecan, hackberry and other 
trees. The greater part of this timber 
is large and suitable for farm, building 
and manufacturing purposes. Where 
convenient to easy railway transporta- 
tion, much of the tim1)er has been 
thinned out, but there is enough left to 
last many years. Pine and oak are 
being manufactured into lumber, and 
several saw and shingle mills, which do 
a good business, are located at Mount 
Pleasant, the county seat. 



Fully three- fourths of the area of the 
county is suitable for tillage. The lands 
most esteemed are those in the valleys, 
bordering the streams. These are a 
deep yellow alluvium, and a gray or 
chocolate colored sand}- soil on the 
uplands, both being fairly productive. 
The lands in the pine district are thin 
and inferior, except in the narrow valleys 
of the streams and in the hammocks, 
and are chiefly valuable for their timber. 
The rainfall is generally ample for all 
agricultural ])urposes, and a failure 
resulting from drouth is not on record. 
The usual yield per acre is, of cotton, 
from one-third to three-fourths of a 
bale; of corn, 25 to 30 bushels; of wheat, 
10 to 12; of oats, 25 to 30; of rye, 15 to 
25; of barley, 25 to 30; of Irish potatoes, 
75 to 100; of .sweet potatoes, 150 to 200. 
Vegetables and melons of all varieties 
are grown in abundance, and the ferru- 
ginous ingredients of the soil tend to 
produce the finest fruits. Orchards are 
quite numerous in the county and con- 
siderable cjuantities of peaches, apples, 
plums and grapes are grown. Tobacco 
yields very well and produces a fine leaf. 

The population of the county in 1890 
was 8,190, and of these 1,500 were resi- 
dent in Mount Pleasant and 285 in Cook- 



ville, the remainder being on farms, of 
wliich there are 660. The acreage in cul- 
tivation in 1894 was 36,894 acres, and the 
crops obtained amounted to 6,089 bales of 
cotton, 249,459 bushels of corn, 25,683 
bushels of oats, 26,403 bushels of sweet 
potatoes, 3,518 bushels of Irish potatoes, 
2,600 bushels of peas, 126 tons of sor- 
ghum, millet and other ha}'; 315 barrels 
of sugar, 25 barrels of sorghum molasses 
and 3,044 tons of cotton seed. The value 
of the crop is estimated at f418,624. 

There are several kinds of nutritious 
grass, principally the crab, v^dre and 
sedge, and the Bermuda, which was 
introduced and found to be very valuable 
in enclosed pastures. On several of the 
streams there is a thick growth of switch 
cane, which affords good winter pastur- 
age. The range is generally sufficient 
to keep stock in good condition for eight 
or nine months in the year, but during 
the winter months cattle must have the 
run of the grain pastures, and require 
more or less grain feed. Titus County 
is not a stock-raising country, but most 
farmers raise enough for their own use 
and for the home markets. The live 
stock of the county consisted, in 1894, of 
3,817 horses and mules, 9,095 head of 
cattle, 23 jacks and jennets, 2,165 sheep, 
330 goats, 11,077 hogs, the whole valued 
at $214,712. 

Mount Pleasant is the county seat of 
Titus County, is 61 miles west of Texar- 
kana and forms the junction of the main 
line of the Cotton Belt, or St. Louis 
Southwestern Railway, and its Sherman 
and Fort Worth Branches. The main 
line continues on to Tyler, Corsicana, 
Oatesville, Hillsboro and Lufkin. It 



was settled some 60 years ago and in 
1846 was selected as the county seat. It 
remained a small village until reached 
by the Cotton Belt Railway, which 
entered it in 1877. It has now about 
1,500 inhabitants and will compare favor- 
ably with other Texas towns of equal 
population. It has 20 or more mercan- 
tile establishments, 2 cotton gins, a cot- 
ton compress, a saw and planing mill, 2 
newspapers and the usual complement of 
professional men. There are 4 good 
hotels in the town, a good brick court- 
house, a public school with 275 pupils, 
and 3 fine church buildings. Near the 
town are several saw and shingle mills, 
which yield considerable revenue. 

Iron ore, lead, copper and lignite have 
been found in the county, but none of 
these deposits have been explored suffi- 
ciently to determine their industrial or 
commercial value. 

Mineral springs are found near Mount 
Pleasant, which are credited with cura- 
tive properties in rheumatism, blood and 
skin diseases and perhaps other ailments. 
No systematic effort has yet been made 
to determine their composition or proper 
application. 

In common with many counties of 
Northeastern Texas, the country popula- 
tion of Titus County is not large and there 
is ample room for newcomers, to whom 
attractions in the way of low prices for 
lands can be offered. Improved lands 
can be had for $5 to $15 per acre, and 
unimproved lands for $2 to $5 per acre. 

There are in the county 45 teachers, 
39 school houses and 1,962 pupils. The 
taxable values in the county amounted 
to $1,518,980 for the year 1894. 




Iridescent Springs. 



jfranhlin Count\>, 'JEcxas. 



THIS county is the fourth from the 
eastern boundary of the State, and 
in the second tier of counties south 
of Red River. It is one of the small 
counties, having an area of 310 square 
miles. It was formed from Titus County 
in 1875, and organized at the same time. 
It had in 1890, 6,481 inhabitants, which 
has since then materially increased. 
The taxable value of property in 1894 is 
given at $988,350, an increase of |45,- 
415 over the previous year's assessment. 
The school population numbers 1,562 
pupils, for whose benefit 31 schools with 
34 teachers are maintained. 

The St. Louis Southwestern Railway, 
passes through the county from east to 
west, near the center, at which point is 
situated INIount Vernon, the county seat. 
The Sherman, Shreveport & Southern 
Railway traverses the southwest corner. 
These railways have a combined mileage 
of 14.34 miles, assessed at $106,980. 
There are 725 farms in the county which 
produced in 1894, 4,672 bales of cotton; 
191,110 bushels of corn; 34,845 bushels 
of oats and wheat; 22,170 bushels of 
Irish and sweet potatoes; 298 tons of 
hay; 320 barrels of molasses; 137 tons 
of sorghum cane; 2,336 tons of cotton 
seed, and 4,600 bushels of peanuts. 
These crops were valued at $316,843, and 
were grown on 27,223 acres. About 



1,000 acres were devoted to orchard and 
garden, from which a revenue of $60,900 
was obtained. 

The live stock of the county consists 
of 3,228 horses and mules, valued at 
$112,540; 6,586 head of cattle, valued at 
$37,080; 14 jacks and jennets, valued at 
$975; 6 872 head of sheep, valued at 
$6,885; 124 goats, valued at $120, and 
9,068 hogs, valued at $9,985. The num- 
ber of sheep sheared amounted to 5,000, 
yielding 17,800 pounds of wool, valued 
at $3,700. 

Mount Vernon, the principal town, is 
the county seat. It has about 900 in- 
habitants, three churches, a bank, cotton 
gin, grist mill, a planing mill, two 
hotels, a weekly newspaper, and some 
fifteen or twenty mercantile establish- 
ments. 

Gray Rock is six miles southeast of 
Mount Vernon, and has about 250 in- 
habitants. There are in the village, 2 
churches, a school, a steam grist mill, 
two or three general stores, and a cot- 
ton gin. 

Purley, another village in the county, 
734 niiles south of INIount Vernon, has 
about 150 inhabitants, a church, school, 
3 grist mills, a woolen mill, and shingle 
mill and general store. 

Improved lands generally sell at prices 
ranging from $8 to $20 per acre, and 




SCKVK IX Fraxkliv CorNTY. 




Texas CorroN Cin ani> Platform, Franklin County. 



unimproved land can be had at $5 to |10 
per acre. The entire indebtedness of the 
county is $5,000, and taxes are very low. 

The general surface of the county is 
undulating, and a large proportion is 
susceptible of profitable cultivation. The 
best farming land is a dark loam, which 
is fairly productive. In parts of the 
county a light gray loam is found which 
also yields satisfactory crops. About 
one-half of the county was originally 
wooded, much of the timber being mer- 
chantable pine. Of the other varieties 
several kinds of oak, hickory, ash, elm 
and black walnut are abundant. The 
last named has become very valuable 
and has been largelj' cut out. 

The principal streams in the county 
are the North Sulphur Fork of Red 
River, Big Cvpress, Dry Cypress and 
White Oak Creeks. The North Sulphur 
Fork separates the county from Red 
River County. Good streams are numer- 
ous, and excellent water is obtained from 
wells of moderate depth. Cisterns are 
used in a few places. The average rain- 
fall is about 40 inches, and is usually 
well distriljuted, assuring a uniformity 
of yield of crops from year to year. The 
average crops obtained per acre are, 600 
to 800 pounds of seed cotton, 20 to 30 
bushels of corn, 10 to 15 bushels of 
wheat, 30 to 50 of oats, 15 to 20 of rye, 
20 to 25 of barley, 75 of Irish potatoes 
and 150 to 300 of sweet potatoes. Fruits 
of all kinds common to this latitude do 
well. The native grasses afford good 
pasturage both on the prairies and in 
the timber, and the mast in the forest is 
sufficient to fatten hogs for home con- 
sumption. Stock raising is part of 



ordinary farm work in this county, and 
is fairly remunerative. In point of 
health the county stands well, there 
being few local causes for disease, except 
in the bottoms where slight malarial 
attacks, readily yielding to treatment, 
are occasionally encountered. 

Franklin County is, like Titus, Hop- 
kins and other Texas counties, particu- 
larly adapted for the cultivation of fruits 
and vegetables for the early shipment to 
northern markets. The fruit crop seldom 
is a failure, and the productiveness of 
both small and large fruits is phenome- 
nal. Without any apparent attempt to 
cultivate fruits for sale, the last report 
of production in this countv was over 
$60,000 worth of fruit from aljout 1,000 
acres. With proper attention and culti- 
vation this product could be increased 
more than three times from the same 
number of acres, and instead of 1,000 
acres there should be 10,000 or 15,000 
acres devoted to fruit raising and vege- 
table gardening. This entire portion of 
Texas cannot be surpassed for produc- 
tiveness of fruits and vegeta1)les, and 
persons with small means desiring to 
secure a home can get started here with- 
out any great outlay. The land can be 
secured either by purchase on easy 
terms, or at very low rental, and the 
first two or three years' products will pay 
for the land and put the farmer in easy 
circumstances, if he gives any attention 
to cultivation. 

Railroad facilities are ample, and 
reasonable rates to markets would be 
made for any one desiring to go into the 
fruit growing and vegetable gardening 
business. 



Ibopl^ins County, 'S^cxas. 



THIS county was created in 1846 from 
Lamar and Nacogdoches Counties, 
and was organized in the same 
year. It is in the third tier of counties 
south of Red River, the south Sul])hur 
Fork of this stream forming the north 
boundary. It is bounded on the east by 
Franklin County and on the west by 
Hunt County, and is the fifth county 
west of the Louisiana State Line. 

It has an area of 755 square miles, and 
in 1890 had 20,572 inhabitants. It is a 
growing county with a wide-awake, pro- 
gressive population, chiefly engaged in 
farming, stock raising, fruit growing and 
wool growing. The industrial capabili- 
ties of the county are being developed as 
rapidly as the conditions admit. 

The St. Louis Southwestern, or Cotton 
Belt Route, enters the county near the 
center of the eastern boundary, passes 
through Sulphur Springs, the county 
seat, and crosses the northwestern corner 
on its passage to Sherman. The Sher- 
man, Shreveport & Southern Railway 
enters the county at the southeast 
corner, forms a junction with the 
Cotton Belt Route at Sulphur 
Springs, and then passes on to 
Greenville , 
through the . 
center of 
the west 
line of the 
county. The 
two roads 
have a 
mileage 
of 69.91 
miles 
in the 

county, the same as.iessed 
at $582,705. 

The assessed values of 
taxable property in the 
county for 1894, amount 
to $4,712,940. Improved 
lands vary in price, but 
can generally be had at 



$5 to $35, according to location and im- 
provements; unimproved lands range in 
price from $2 to $15 per acre. The price 
is largely determined by the quality, and 
good average tillable lands are worth 
from $10 to $12. 

The educational facilities are excep- 
tionally good. In addition to the local 
school systems in the larger towns, the 
county maintains 93 school houses and 
employs 103 teachers, the number of 
pupils enrolled 1)eing 5,358. 

There are 2,957 farms in the county, 

which produced during 1894, of cotton, 

15,310 bales; of corn, 686,195 bushels; 

of wheat, 8,690 bushels; of oats, 180,705 

bushels; of barley, 1,020 bushels; of 

sweet potatoes, 29,383 bushels; of Irish 

potatoes, 5,160 bushels; of peas and 

beans, 3,004 bushels; of hay, 3,950 tons; 

of sugar, 490 barrels; of sorghum syrup, 

68 barrels; of cotton seed, 7,655 tons, 

and of pecans, 280 bushels. There 

^^ vvere devoted to peaches 974 acres, 

yielding a revenue of $4,531; to 

I apples 515 acres, valued at 

$6,755; to pears and plums 

62 acres, valued at $666; 

to melons 102 acres, valued 

at $2,355; to garden 391 

, acres, valued at 

$33,197, and to 

grapes about 50 

acres, valued at 

,620. The 

honey obtained 

amounted to 

4,764 pounds and 




Views in 
Sulphur Springs. 

1, College. 

2, Public School. 

3, Street Scene showing 
Court House. 





Oil Mill, Sulphur Springs 

was valued at |447. The value of all 
farm, orchard and garden products 
amounted to $1,109,891, and was obtained 
from 96,706 acres in cultivation. 

The live stock of the county is gener- 
ally of superior breeds, and constant 
improvement is being made. 

There were rendered for taxation in 
1894, 11,093 horses and mules, valued at 
$377,715; 20,957 head of cattle, valued at 
$113,860; 63 jacks and jennets, valued at 
$5,365; 17,884 head of sheep, valued at 
$16,700; 674 goats, valued at $465, and 
24,211 hogs, valued at $37,080. 

There are several good commercial 
towns in the county, and of these 

Sulphur Springs is by far the most 
important. It was settled in 1850, and 
is a prosperous little city of 5,000 in- 
habitants. In the city and in its vicinity 
are a number of sulphur springs and 
alum springs, which make the locality 
a famous local health resort. In 1868 
it became the county seat. There are 
now in the city 2 National banks, a 
magnificent granite and sandstone court 
house, a good system of water works, a 
number of elegant places of worship, 
many brick business houses, 2 good 
hotels and good newspapers. In the 
several industrial lines the city has 2 
saw mills, an ice plant, a bottling factory, 
a 50-ton cotton oil mill, a fine large cot- 
ton compress, 2 small furniture factories, 
a large cotton gin, a planing mill, a sash, 
blind and door factory and a foundry. 
The mercantile lines are well repre- 
sented, there being probably over 100 
establishments. The public school sys- 
tem of the city is commensurate with the 
times, and the schools are maintained 
nine months in the year. Eastman Col- 
lege is a famous educational institution. 
The principal exports of Sulphur Springs 
are cotton, lumber, furniture, ice, hides, 
wool, cotton seed oil, mineral and soda 
waters, and fresh fruits and commercial 
garden truck. 

Black Jack Grove is 15 miles west of 
Sulphur Springs on the Sherman, Shreve- 



COTTON Compress, 
Sulphur Springs. 

port & Southern Rail- 
way. It has about 
1,000 inhabitants, 3 or 
5 fine church buildings, 
brick yards, grist mills, 
cotton gins, several 
good hotels and a week- 
ly newspaper. There 
are about one dozen general stores in the 
place. 

Carroll's Prairie, a village of 250 peo- 
ple, on the Sherman, Shreveport & 
Southern Railway, has 2 cotton gins and 
grist mills, a Baptist church, and some 
6 mercantile establishments. 

Sulphur Bluff is about 23 miles north- 
east of Sulphur Springs, and has about 
200 inhabitants, 2 cotton gins and flour 
mills and 3 general stores. 

The surface of Hopkins County is gen- 
erally level. About two-thirds of the 
county is covered with timber, with here 
and there, prairies of considerable ex- 
tent. The southeast half has a large 
area of light, sandy soil, lyiug on a sub- 
stratum of red clay. Heavy, gray sandy 
soils and stiff, black waxy soils predom- 
inate in the northwest half. On the 
streams the soil in some portions is a 
black friable loam, and in others a red 
or chocolate-colored alluvium. The 
water courses of the county are South 
Sulphur Fork, White Oak, Caney, 
Cypress, Stout, Rock, Turkey, Elm, 
Garnet, Burk and Running Creeks. 
There are many fine springs, and wells 
of good water are easily obtained at a 
depth of 18 to 30 feet. The principal 
forest trees are, oak, pecan, cherry, sas- 
safras, bois d'arc, black jack, hickory. 
Black walnut, ash, short leaf pine and 
white oak of good cjuality are also found, 
but these are not abundant. 

The most valuable native grass is the 
wire grass, it is of rapid growth and not 
liable to be seriously injured by long, 
continued pasturage. Swamp grass and 
switch cane afford a good winter range. 
Under ordinary cultivation the soils of 
Hopkins County yield per acre, from 
600 to 800 pounds of seed cotton, 25 to 
35 bushels of corn, 10 to 12 bushels of 
wheat, 30 to 60 bushels of oats, 15 to 20 
bushels of rye, 30 to 40 bushels of barley, 
250 gallons of molasses, 150 gallons of 
sorghum syrup, 90 bushels of Irish 
potatoes, and from 200 to 250 bushels of 
sweet potatoes. 



Ibunt County, ZTcxae. 



THIS count}' is situated in Nortli 
Texas, being in the second tier 
of counties south of Red 
River, and the sixth county west 
of the Louisiana State Line. 
It is separated from Red 
River bv Fannin Countv, • 





and was named in honor of General 
Mennecars Hunt, Minister to the United 
States during the Texas Republic. 
Greenville, the count}' seat and , most 
important point in 
the county, forms 
the junction of the 
vSt. Louis Southwest- 
ern Railway, the 
Sherman, Shreve- 
port & Southern 
Railway, and the 
Denison andJNIineola 
Branch of the Mis- 
souri, Kansas & 
Texas Railway. 

The county was 
created from Fannin 
and Nacogdoches 
Counties in 1846, and was organized in 
the same year. The area is S69 scjuare 
miles. It is strictly an agricultural 
county, peopled by an ener- 
getic, progressive and well- 
to-do population. All con- 
ditions for the development 
of this county have been very 
favorable; the soils are ex- 
ceptionally good, the climate 
agreeable, and crops safe if 
well cultivated. The facili- 
ties for transportation are 
such that all parts of the 
county are within easy reach 
of a railway. Not less than 
six railways traverse the 

Views IN Greenville— 1. 2 and 
3, Homes. 4 Central School. -S 
Busine.ss Street. 




county, which has a 
combined railway mile- 
age of 141 miles, with 
property assessed at 
027,415. These railways 
ire the St. Louis South- 
western (Cotton Belt Route), 
the Gulf, Colorado & 
Santa Fe Railway, the Missouri, 
Kansas & Texas Railway, the 
Texas Midland Railway, the Dallas 
& Greenville Railway, and the Sherman, 
Shreveport & Southern Railway. 

The county had 31,885 inhabitants in 
1890, and it is estimated that the num- 
ber has increased at least 50 per cent 
since then. The assessed value of all 
taxable property in the county in 1894, 
ainounted to |S, 626, 625, an increase of 
$153,330 over that of the preceding year. 
The education facili- 
ties are excellent, 
and consist of 122 
school houses, situ- 
ated in various parts 
of the county. There 
were 7,433 pupils 
enrolled in 1894, and 
122 teachers were 
iinployed by the 
county. The city of 
Greenville and the 
several larger towns 
have very complete 
school systems, sep- 
ai.iu- liuir. those maintained by the 
county. 

Tyands are necessarily higher in price 





than in the 
more thinly 
settled and re- 
mote counties. 
The farmer in 
Hunt County 
has within con- 
venient reach 
a number of 
trading points, 
good roads, 
low taxes, is 
close to such 
markets as Dallas, Fort Worth, Denison, 
Sherman and Greenville, and has at hand 
all the social advantages and conveniences 
common to an old, tliickly settled county 
in the Eastern States. Good improved 
lands are worth from $15 to $40 per acre. 
Unimproved lands range in price from 
$5 to |20 per acre. The average taxable 



IN Greenville 

1, Oil Mill. 

2. Compress. 
3 Cattle 



value of land in the county is $7.96 per 
acre. The entire county indebtedness 
is $4,250, and the rate of county tax on 
the $100 valuation is 75 cents. 

There are 2,179 farms in the county, 
and there were in cultivation in 1894, 
72,094 acres in cotton, product 55,581 
bales, valued at $130,760; 43,705 acres 
in corn, product 1,109,492 bushels, val- 
ued at $553,373; 5,315 acres in wheat, 
product 71,241 bushels, valued at $35,- 
974; 5,436 acres in oats, product 477,657 
bushels, valued at $133,027; 99 acres in 
other small grain, producing 3,147 
bushels, valued at $2,0S2; 186 acres in 
Irish and sweet potatoes, producing 
24,926 bushels, valued at $12,998; 30 
acres in peas, producing 275 bushels, 
valued at $536; 9,146 acres in native 
and cultivated hay, producing 10,490 
tons, valued at $86,490; 35 acres in 
sugar cane, producing 130 barrels of 
sugar, valued at $1,592; 283 acres in 
sorghum, producing 639 barrels of 
molasses, and 158 tons of fodder, valued 
at $8,713; 30 acres in clover, prod- 
uct 20 tons, valued at $207, and 6acres in 
broom corn, product 11 tons, valued at 
$246. There were also produced 27,791 
tons of cotton seed, valued at $222,328, 
and 388 bushels of rice, valued at $779. 
The orchard and garden produced as 




follows: Peaches, 736 acres, value 

$15,149; apples, 301 acres, value $4,585; 

plums, 19 acres, value $203; pears, 43 

acres, value $186; melons, 27 acres, 

value $1,508; garden truck, 624 acres, 

value $60,460; grapes, 160 acres, value 

$5,156; honey, 40,654 pounds, value 

$6,421. The acreage devoted to all crops 

was 138.275, and the total 

values produced amounted 

to $1,260,973. 

Stock was formerly raised 
entirely on the open range, 
but within the past 10 or 15 
years it has become entirely 
a part of farming opera- 
tions, resulting in a vast im- 
provement in the breeds 
Nearly all the cattle, horses 
and hogs now in the county 
are graded, and on many farms regis- 
tered stock is kept. The number of 
horses and mules in the county rendered 
for taxation amounts to 19,000, valued 
at $654,415; of cattle, 26,410, valued at 
$171,390; of jacks and jennets, 141, 
valued at $13,140; of sheep, 1,096, valued 
at $1,315; of goats, 170, valued at $135, 
and of hogs, 20,271, valued at $41, 820.—; 
value of the whole, $882,215. 

The topographical features of the 
county may be best described as follows : 
The general surface is elevated and 
rolling, three- fourths being prairie land 
and the remainder being covered with a 
forest growth, consisting principally of 
post oak, hois d'arc, elm, ash, walnut, 
hickory and some cedar. The bois d'arc, 
which is esteemed the most dural)le and 
the least liable to shrinkage of all woods, 
grows to a large size, and is much used for 
making wagons and agricultural imple- 
ments. The Sabine River and the South 
Sulphur Fork of Red River have their 
main sources in the county ; the East 
Caddo Fork, West Caddo Fork, Cow 
Leach Fork and South Fork and their 
tributaries form the first named stream, 
and drain the central southern and south- 
western parts of the county, while the 
Sulphur Fork of Red River and its 
tributaries drain the northern and north- 



eastern parts. There are few springs, 
and the water from the wells is gener- 
ally somewhat impregnated with lime, 
but there are many wells containing 
pure freestone water. Cisterns are used 
in some parts of the county. 

The soils are chiefly a dark, friable loam, 
and a black stiff hog wallow land, and 
they are found in about equal proportions, 
the latter being regarded as superior in 
fertility. At least nine-tenths of the 
count)' is suitable for cultivation and 
well adapted to the employment of 
improved agriculti;ral implements, and 
which are largely used. The yield of 
the various crops per acre, under proper 
tillage is, of cotton, one-third to two- 



health generally is very good, there 
being practically no local causes for 
diseases, except perhaps light malarial 
attacks, readily yielding to treatment, 
which may occur in some of the river 
and creek bottoms. 

Greenville. The beginning of the 
settlement of Greenville dates back to 
the organization of the county, 1846, 
when the present location was selected 
for the county seat. It remained a small 
hamlet until 1S59, when a town site was 
laid out and named in honor of Thomas 
Jefferson Green, a North Carolinian by 
birth, and a graduate from the West 
Point Military School, who came to 
Texas in 1836 and took an active part 




Bkk R.^nch, Hunt County. 



thirds of a bale; corn, 25 to 35 bushels; 
wlieat, 12 bushels; barley, 40 bushels; 
molasses, 300 gallons, and hay, 1 ton. 
Vegetables common to the latitude yield 
profusely, and within the past decade an 
extensive business in the production of 
early garden stuff has grown up. 
Peaches, plums, early apples, rasp- 
berries, strawberries, figs and other 
fruits, notabh' the blackberry, are 
extensively and successfully grown. 
The average annual rainfall is about 43 
inches, and is so distriljuted throughout 
the year as to render damage from 
drought a rare occurrence. Public 



in the Texan struggle for independence. 
After the annexation of Texas to the 
United States he returned to his native 
State, where he died in 1864. 

Up to 1880 Greenville remained a 
prairie village of 500 or 600 inhabitants. 
The Denison & Mineola Hranch of the 
^Missouri, Kansas & Texas reached the 
place in that year, and since then its 
growth has been ver}' rapid. At the 
present time it is estimated to have 
8,000 inhabitants. The Cotton Belt 
Route reached the place in 1886, at which 
time it had a population of 3,000. Other 
railwavs found it to their interest to 



enter the place, and at present it is an 
important railway center of great com- 
mercial activity. It is an important 
point on the Missouri, Kansas & Texas 
Railway, being the freight and pas- 
senger division terminus for the Denison 
& Mineola Branch. It is the head- 
quarters for the Sherman, Shreveport & 
Southern Railway, the northern terminus 
of the Texas Midland Railway, and an 
important point on the Cotton Belt 
Route. As many as 42 passenger trains 
pass in and out of Greenville daily. 

The city is located on the upper waters 
of the Sabine River, and that stream is 
dammed some distance above, forming a 
reservoir from which the city is supplied, 
through an adequate system of water 
mains. A sewerage system extends 
through nearly all business streets and 
many residence streets. There is also a 
strong volunteer fire department. The 
city has an elegant City Hall, an elec- 
tric light plant, telephone exchange, 
and several large city parks. The cor- 
porate limits of the city cover 3,000 
acres. The altitude is 800 feet above 
sea level, and its favorable situation 
gives it good, natural drainage. The 
surrounding country is one of unexcelled 
fertility, and admirably suited to diver- 
sified farming and stock raising, main- 
taining, as it does, a large and rapidly 
growing population . The local industries 
consist of, in addition to the shops of 
the several railroads, a good boiler, 
engine and general machine works. 
There is a large planing and general 
wood working plant, a flouring mill, 
with a capacity of 100 barrels per day, 
and a corn mill; two saddle and harness 
factories, two cotton oil mills of 115 tons 
daily capacity, a cotton compress, which 
handled 90,000 bales last season; a 50- 
ton ice factory, bottling works, a woolen 
mill, a wagon and carriage factory, sev- 
eral brick yards, galvanized iron cornice 
works, two clothing and one mattress 
factory. There are in the city also two 
National Banks, a large Opera House, 
some 12 attractive churches, a Baptist 
College, and three daily and four or 
five weekly newspapers. Numerous 
attractive stone and brick buildings are 
in course of erection. The assessed 



valuation of citv property is about 
12,250,000. 

Commerce. This thriving little city 
is situated at the junction of the Sher- 
man Branch of the Cotton Belt Route 
with the Fort Worth Branch of the 
same road. It is 118 miles west of 
Texarkana, and 97 miles east of Fort 
Worth. It is well located and has a 
population of 2,000, being duly incor- 
porated. 

There are 40 business houses, 30 of 
which are in brick buildings, a bank, a 
planing mill, two large steam gins, 
corn mills, the Cotton Belt shops, a 
new, good hotel, a weekly newspaper, 
five church buildings, a large school 
building, capable of accommodating 300 
pupils, and the East Texas Normal 
College, a noted educational institution. 
The exports from the city amount to 
10,000 bales of cotton, 1,000 car loads 
of oats, about as many of hay, and 60 
car loads of cattle and hogs. INIanu- 
factured lumber is also sent to the neigh- 
boring smaller towns. 

Wolfe City, an incorporated city of 
1,500 people, is situated at the junction 
of the St. Louis Southwestern and Gulf , 
Colorado & Santa Fe Railways, 18 miles 
north of Greenville. It contains 4 
churches, good schools, a bank, a 
cotton seed oil mill, 2 cotton gins, 2 
grist mills, a planing mill, a foundry, 
a weekly newspaper, about 25 mercan- 
tile establishments and several good 
hotels. 

Campbell, on the Sherman, Shreve- 
port & Southern Railway, 10 miles east of 
Greenville, was settled in 1880, and has 
600 inhabitants. It has 3 churches, a 
planing mill, a steam cotton gin, a flour 
mill, and 8 general stores. 

Lone Oak, on the Missouri, Kansas 
& Texas Railway, 15 miles southeast 
from Greenville, has 800 inhabitants, 
3 churches, a district school, steam 
grist mills, cotton gins, a weekly news- 
paper, some 25 mercantile houses, and 
several hotels. 

The other towns in the county are: 
Mkrit, population 189; Whitk Rock, 
population 158; Kingston, population 
338; Celeste, population 250, and 
C.'VDDO Mills, population 234. 




Hunt County Threshing Scene. 



Collin Counti?, TLcxas. 



THIS county is separated from Red 
River by the county of Grayson, 
and its center is on the meridian 
of 96 degrees 30 minutes west from 
Greenwich. Hunt County adjoins it on 
the east, Dallas and Rockwall Counties 
on the south, and Denton County on the 
west. The area is 884 square miles, and 
the county had, in 1890, 36,736 inhabit- 
ants. 

Three -fourths of the area is rolling 
prairie, in some portions rising into hills 
of considerable elevation, in others gently 
sloping down into wide valleys. The 
East Fork of the Trinity River and its 
many tributaries, trending generally in 
a southeastern direction through the 
county, are all fringed with belts of tim- 
ber of greater or lesser width. In most 
portions of the county the public high- 
ways are continuous lanes, with a suc- 
cession of well -tilled farms or enclosed 
pastures on either side. There is a suffi- 
cient qiiantity of timber for all ordinary 
domestic purposes, but very little that 
is suitable for lumber or for modern 
house building. The leading varieties 
are post oak, red oak, pin oak, ash, elm, 
pecan, hackberry and bois d'arc. The 
last named timber is of large size, plen- 
tiful and of excellent quality. Large 
quantities are used in wagon making, 
street paving, fence post, or for all pur- 
poses for which strength, toughness and 
durability' are required. 



Nine-tenths of the area of Collin 
County presents a continuous surface of 
black waxy, tenacious soil, without any 
admixture of sand, and from 2 to 10 feet 
in depth. It is highly productive, and 
possesses the quality of resisting the 
effects of drouth to a remarkable 
degree. The mean annual rainfall is 
38 inches, and as a rule, is so distributed 
throughout the j-ear as to render dam- 
age from drouth an exceptional occur- 
rence. Of the 565,760 acres in the 
county, 257,343 acres are under actual 
cultivation, the remainder being mostly 
in enclosed pastures. The usual yield 
per acre of the principal crops, under 
favorable conditions is, of cotton, ^ of 
a bale; corn, 30 bushels; wheat, 15 
bushels; oats, 40 bushels; barley, 40 
bushels; sorghum, 100 gallons; Irish 
potatoes, 60 bushels; sweet potatoes, 
200 bushels; hay, 1 '2 tons, and millet, 
3 tons. Collin County is in about the 
center of the wheat growing region of 
Texas, and the wheat grown in this 
county is found to exceed the standard 
weight by several pounds, and repeated 
experiments are believed to have demon- 
strated its superior capacity to bear 
transportation over long distances with- 
out serious damage, particularly in cases 
where ocean consignments are made. 

In exceptionally dry seasons the East 
Fork of the Trinity River and the many 
streams flowing into it, cease to run, but 




Cotton Field, Collin Cocntv. 




Farm Home in Collin County. 



their l)lue limestone beds always hold 
an ample supply of water for stock and 
general purposes. An abundance of 
good water for domestic uses is obtained 
from springs and wells. Cisterns are 
largely used. They are usually dug in 
the soft blue limestone that underlies 
the entire surface of the county, and 
need no walling or cement. 

The principal native grasses are the 
sedge, the several varieties of mesquite, 
which grow profusely. They are supple- 
mented by the Bermuda as a pasture 
grass, and the common field grasses 
cultivated for hay. The raising of live 
stock is, in this county, part of ordinary 
farming operations. Nearly all the 
stock is graded as to breeds, and on 
many farms there is an abundance of 
registered horses, cattle and hogs. 

No minerals are known to be in the 
county, and none of the streams afford 
any water power. While most of the 
soil is admirably adapted to the profit- 
able cultivation of vegetables, there are 
localities in the county where the culti- 
vation of fruits is limited to special 
varieties, notably so in regard to apples. 
As a whole, the county produces excel- 
lent fruit of nearly all kinds, both for 
home consumption and for export. 

There are 1,756 farms in the county, 
and they produced in 1894, 49,153 bales 
of cotton, 2,082,234 bushels of corn, 
521,421 bushels of wheat, 1,381,755 
bushels of oats, 8,036 bushels of barley, 
2,590 bushels of Irish and sweet potatoes, 
4,035 tons of wild and cultivated hay, 
15 barrels of sugar, 406 barrels of 



molasses, 24,577 tons of cotton seed 
and 1,200 bushels of onions. These 
crops, together with the products of the 
orchard and garden, and apiary, aggre- 
gating some 1,500 acres, were valued at 
f3, 010, 848. The live stock of Collin 
County, as rendered for taxation in 1894, 
consisted of 26,573 horses and mules, 
valued at |1, 022, 145; 24,513 head of 
cattle, valued at|161,680; 306 jacks and 
jennets, valued at f28,275; 1,257 sheep, 
valued at |1,600; 300 goats, valued at 
$315, and 34,425 hogs, valued at |69,060. 

The railway facilities of Collin County 
are excellent, affording quick and easy 
transportation in all directions. The 
St. Louis Southwestern, or Cotton Belt 
Route, traverses the county from east to 
west in the southern part, crossing the 
Houston & Texas Central Railway at 
Piano. The Houston & Texas Central 
passes through the county from north to 
south, passing through the towns of 
Melissa, McKinney and Piano. The 
Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe Railway 
traverses the southeastern part, and the 
Sherman, Shreveport & Southern Rail- 
way has its western terminus at Mc- 
Kinney. These railways have a com- 
bined mileage in the county of 110.11 
miles, with propertj* assessed at $977,380. 

The county is full of small, progressive 
towns, all situated in well settled farming 
districts of the greatest fertility. 

McKinney, the county seat, is a thriv- 
ing, wide awake city of 4,500 inhabitants, 
situated almost exactly in the center of 
the county. It forms the junction of 
the Sherman, Shreveport & Southern 



Railway with the Houston & Texas 
Central Railway. It has some 10 fine 
church buildings, a very complete city 
school system, and a large private col- 
lege. It is lighted by electricity, has 
an efficient, fire department, telephone 
service, a commodious and modern court 
house, 2 national banks, 2 flouring mills, 
2 large lumber 3'ards, an ice factory, an 
elevator and mill, a cotton gin and cotton 
compress, a can factory, carriage works, 
a planing mill, an opera house and 
4 weekly newspapers. The principal 
shipments are cotton, corn, oats, wheat 
and cotton seed. The city has several 
good hotels and some 50 or 60 mercantile 
establishments. It is a rapidly growing 
place, most favorably situated for further 
development. 

Piano is a striving incorporated town 
in the southwestern portion of Collin 
County, 14 miles southwest of JNIcKinney 
and 18 miles north of Dallas. It is situ- 
ated at the crossing of the St. Louis 
Southwestern Railway and the Houston 
& Texas Central Railway. It became a 
railroad town in 1872 upon the advent of 
the Houston & Texas Central Railway. 
In 1887 the Fort Worth Division of the 
St. Louis Southwestern Railway also 
reached the town, which since then has 
been growing rapidly. It is the second 
town of importance in the county, and 
has an excellent public school, under 
city control, a high school and 6 well- 
built churches. There are a national 
bank, a good roller mill, 2 large cotton 
gins, and a cotton compress in the town, 
which handled 17,000 bales of cotton in 
1895. The other industries consist of a 
planing mill, and a number of smaller 
enterprises. The population is about 
1,500. There are about 35 mercantile 



houses in various lines, and a consider- 
able business is done in handling and 
shipping corn, oats, wheat and cotton. 

Melissa. ^Has a population of 175, 
has 4 churches, 2 cotton gins, a corn 
mill, a hotel and 6 general stores. 

Farmersville.— Has a population of 
1,500; founded in 1858; contains several 
steam cotton gins, chair factory, flour 
mill, 5 churches, a high school, a national 
bank, an academy, 2 weekly newspapers, 
a planing mill, several good hotels an(l 
some 30 mercantile establishments. 

Nevada, population 550, contains a 
steam grist mill and cotton gin, 8 mer- 
chants, and 2 hotels. 

Allen, population 200, has 3 churches, 
a public school, corn mill, and cotton 
gin and 7 general stores. 

The other important places in the 
county are, WiiSTKRN, population 285; 
Ann.4, population 163; Wvi.ii';, popula- 
tion 239; Bluk Ridgk, population 158, 
and Lebanon, population 218. 

The assessed valuation of property in 
the county in 1894 amounted to $11,043,- 
440 showing an increase of $173,200 over 
the rendition of the previous year. Im- 
proved lands generally range in price 
from $15 to $50 per acre according to 
location and impro\'ements; unimproved 
lands can be had at prices ranging from 
$5 to $20 per acre. 

The county school system is very com- 
plete and carefully managed. There are 
145 school houses and 172 teachers, 9,801 
pupils were enrolled during the year. 

Collin County can best be compared 
with some old well -settled county in 
central Illinois, both as to its general 
appearance as well as to the conveniences 
and comforts incident to a well populated 
county, enjoyed by its inhabitants. 




Cattle Ranch, Coli,in CotJNTV. 



Camp County, XEcias. 



THIS county is one of the small 
counties of the State. It was taken 
from Upshur County and organized 
in 1874. Its population in 1890 was 
6,624, and its area is 201 square miles, 
or 128,640 acres. The tax valuations for 
1894 were $1,086,184, of which $209,112 
was charged to railways, and $108,430 
to live stock. The school population is 
1,190, with 37 school houses and 43 
teachers. The county has two railways, 
with a combined mileage of 29 miles, 
bringing every part of the county within 
easy access of the markets. The Cotton 

Belt or St. Louis . _ . _ 

Southwestern 
Railway passes 
through the 
count}' from 
north to south, 
forming a junc- 



tion at Pitts- 
burg, the 
count}' seat, 
with the 
Sherman, 





maintains six churches, a good pub- 
lic school with 200 pupils, and a pub- 
lic hall. The court house is handsome 
and commodious. There are some 
twenty mercantile houses in various 
lines, a bank, several steam planing 
mills, saw mills, shingle mills, grist 
mills and cotton gins, a six-ton ice fac- 
tory, bottling works, a tannery, harness 
and saddle factor}', a fully equipped iron 
and brass foundry, as well as all other 
conveniences common to a town of its 
dimensions. Two weekly newspapers 
are published in Pittsburg. The princi- 
pal exports from 
here are cotton 
and lumber. 

Leesburg, some 
7 miles west of 
Pittsburg, is the 
other important 
trading point in 
the county. It con- 
tains a flouring 
mill and cotton 
gin, and a number 
of mercantile establishments. It has 
about 500 inhabitants. 

Mineral Waters — There are several 
fine medicinal springs near Pittsburg, 
the waters of which are said to be highly 
efficient in the cure of rheuma- 
tism, dyspepsia, dropsy and other 
diseases. There is a chalybeate 
spring within the corporate limits 
of the town, which is said to 
possess fine properties as a tonic. 
A short distance west of town is 
a sulphur spring, and 5 miles 
northeast is the Plateau Spring, 
for which great merit is claimed 
in the cure of kidnev troubles. 



Shreveport & Southern Railway, which 
last named railway crosses the county 
from east to west. 

Pittsburg, the county seat, dates its 
settlement from 1855. It is a 
progressive, well-built 
little city, the majority 
of business house; 
being built of brick, 
and most of the new 
buildings being of 
the same material. 
Its po])ulation is 
about 2,000, and 





ViKWS IN Pittsburg. 

1, Business Street. 

2, Sceue Near Pittsburg. 

3, Coutt Hou.se. 

4, Residence Street. 
.S, Country Home. 



Aside from all other advantages Pitts- 
burg possesses, these springs if more 
generally known, would go far towards 
making it a very attractive health 
resort. 

Camp County, like most counties of 
Northeastern Texas was originally cov- 
ered with a dense forest, mainly com- 
posed of large and valuable timber, 
comprising several kinds of oak, ash, 
hickory, wild cherry, pine, walnut, 
hackberry, sweet gum and beech. The 
surface of the county is undulating, with 
a dark sandy, very productive soil on 
the bottom lands, and a lighter soil on 
the uplands. The water supph- for all 
purposes is ample and very widely dis- 
tributed, through Cypress Creek, which 
forms the northern and eastern bound- 
ary of the county for forty miles. 
Among the numerous tributaries of 
Cypress Creek are Prairie, Richland, 
Walker and Lily Creeks. Bold springs 
of freestone water are numerous, and 
never- failing wells are obtained at any 
desired point, at a depth of 15 to 30 
feet. 

Farming is fairly profitable in the 
county, and the average yield obtained 
per acre is, cotton in the seed, 800 
pounds; corn, 30 bushels; sweet pota- 
toes, 300 bushels; molasses from ribbon 
cane, 400 gallons, and from sorghum 
cane, 200 gallons. The rainfall is about 
45 inches annually, and as a rule very 
regular in its precipitation. 

Most of the farms in the county are 
small, there being in all about 670 farms 
comprising 32,748 acres, to which should 
be added 752 acres in fruit and garden, 
the products of which were valued at 
110,000 in 1894. The crops produced in 
1894 amounted to 4,677 bales of cotton; 
168,670 bushels of corn; 24,270 bushels 
of oats and wheat; 11,530 bushels of 
sweet potatoes; 1,805 bushels of Irish 



potatoes; 3,399 bushels of peas; 367 
barrels of sugar, and 2,339 tons of cotton 
seed, the whole valued at |283,135. 

The native grasses are neither abun- 
dant nor very nutritious, and are supple- 
mented by enclosed pastures of the crab 
and Bermuda grasses, the latter being 
especially adapted to light, sandy upland 
soils. Within the last 15 or 20 vears, 
the lespedeza, or Japan clover, has found 
a foothold in the county and is ra])idlv 
covering waste places. It is a valuable 
annual forage plant and grows wild all 
over the wood lands. It is not known 
how the seed got into the countv, l)ut 
the plant is a welcome stranger never- 
theless, as its presence is of much benefit 
to the local stock interest, which consists 
of (1894) 2,070 horses and mules, 4,141 
head of cattle, 11 jacks and jennets, 402 
sheep and 4,755 hogs, the whole valued 
at 1108,430. 

Iron ore sufficiently fine for the manu- 
facture of Bessemer steel is found in 
abundance, the prevailing varieties being 
limonite and hematite ores. The hema- 
tite ores yield 59.6 per cent of metallic 
iron, and the limonite ores 60 to 70 per 
cent. Deposits of lignite and mineral 
paints appear to exist in very large quan- 
tities, but no development of these 
deposits has been attempted. In com- 
mon with nearly all counties in North- 
eastern Texas in which there is much 
iron ore, fruits reach a high grade of 
perfection in point of color, form, size 
and flavor. Peaches, pears, plums, the 
.American varieties of grapes, early vari- 
eties of aj^plcs, strawberries, gooseberries, 
currants, l)lackberrics, etc., and the 
spring vegetable garden, yield handsome 
products in abundance. There is very 
little done in the way of commercial 
truck-growing, but no doubt this branch 
of husbandry would pay handsome! v, if 
it wtic carried on in a svstematic w.iv. 




Scene Near Leesbcrgh, Camp Countv. 



Smitb Counti?, Uexao. 




*HIS county is situated in Northeastern Texas, 
being the third county west of the Louisiana 
vState Line, the Sabine River is the northern 
boundary of the county. Part 
of the west boundary is formed 
by the Neches River, which 
separates it from Van Zandt 
and Henderson Counties. It 
was formerly part of Nacog- 
doches County and was organ- 
ized in 1846. 

It is a wealthy and populous 
county , numbering about 
35,000 inhabitants. 

The railwaj' mileage in the 
county is 86.20 miles, valued at $755,019. The main line of the St. Louis, South- 
western or Cotton Belt Route, enters the county near Big Sandy, passes through 
Tyler, the county seat, to Corsicana, Waco and Gatesville, forming a junction with 
a branch line extending to Rusk and Lufkin. The International & Great Northern 
Railway crosses the southeast corner of the county, forming a 
junction at Troupe, with the Mineola Branch of the same line. 
The assessed values in the county for 1894 amounted to 
), 991, 813, of which $755,019 were charged against railways 
and $433,100 against live stock. 

Much can be truthfully said of the county's resources, 
which are capable of great development in agri- 
cultural, horticultural and industrial lines. As 
in all counties in this section of the State, cotton 
and corn are the leading agri- _ ^M^Z.^^i 




cultural products, 
though consider- 
able quantities of oats, 
potatoes, sorghum, vege- 
tables, etc., are grown. 
The acreage in standard 
crops in 1894 amounted to 
112,839 acres divided among 1,682 farms, to which should be added 2,169 acres, 
planted in orchard and garden. The standard crops grown consisted of 16,770 bales 
of cotton, 576,720 bushels of corn, 3,140 bushels of wheat, 75,808 bushels of oats, 
45,900 bushels of sweet potatoes, 3,947 bushels of Irish potatoes, 6,295 bushels of 
peas and beans, 639 barrels of sugar, 264 tons of sorghum cane, and 8,385 tons of 



Views in Tyler.— 1, Post Office. 2, Court Hou.se Square. 3, Residence Senator Horace Chilton. 
4, Residence JudRe Jno. M. Duncan. 5, Residence H. H. Rowland. 6. Residence I. H. Brown. 
7, Residence R. \V. Rowland. 




cotton seed. These crops, together with $57,220, the value 
of the fruit and vegetable crops, were valued at $1,073,201. 
23,555 pounds of honey were also produced which were 
valued at $2,355. 

Within the last few years much attention has been 
given to commercial fruit growing, and fine orchards 
are numerous. A business of considerable extent is done 
in the shipping of early fruits to Northern markets. The 
exports for 1895 are reported as from Tyler, _,^ ^ 
the county seat, 100,000 packages by express 
and 50,000 by freight; from Fruitland, 70 
carloads, and from Lindale 30,000 packages. 
Large quantities were also shipped from 
Troupe, Winona, Bullard, Swan, and other 
points in the county. The canning of fruits 
has also become an important industry, 
there being now seven canneries in the 
count}'. Strawberries, peaches, apples and 
plums constitute the principal fruit exports, 
which find a ready market in St. Louis, 
Kansas Cit}-, Chicago, Denver, Omaha, 
Milwaukee, Des Moines and other large 
cities. In connection with the fruit shipments, large consignments are also made 
of early tomatoes, early cabbage, English peas, snap beans, and other vegetables. 
The mineral resources of Smith County consist of valuable iron ores, classed as 
brown hematites, several salines, and a variety of potter's clays. 

The sedge grass is the principal native variety and affords some pasturage during 
the summer months. Bermuda grass has been introduced in many parts of the 
county, and where properly protected is esteemed highly valuable as pasturage. 
Within the past decade the "lespedeza," or Japan clover, has found a foothold in 
the county and now covers most waste places. It is nutritious and very desirable 
forage. Switch cane is found in some localities and affords good winter pasturage. 
Stock raising is carried on as part of ordinary farming operations, and in 1894 there 
were in the county 7,656 head of horses and mules valued at $308,944; 18,185 head 
of cattle valued at $94,833; 56 jacks and jennets valued at $3,794; 895 sheep valued 
at $881 ; 786 goats valued at $653. and 16,955 hogs valued at $23,995. 

The general surface presents a succession of hills of low altitude sloping into 

valleys, generally narrow, but often extended 
and undulating. The ui)lands are thickly 
studded with pine, post oak, red oak, hickory, 
black-jack, and the bottoms with pin oak, 
water oak, walnut, sweet and black gum, and 
other varieties of timber. A large proportion 
of the timber is tall and of large size and val- 
uable for building and mechanical purposes. 
Three distinct kinds of soil are found in the 
count}' and these may be classed as: alluvial 
lands in the river and creek bottoms, a gray 
sandy soil on a red subsoil, and the red lands. 
The bottom lands are well adapted 
to corn, cotton and sugar cane, the 
gray is most esteemed for cotton, 
while the red lands are suited to, 
and yield equally well, cotton and 
grain, as well as vegetables and 
fruits. All of these soils are 
mellow, pliable and easily 
- tilled. The yield of 
standard crops gener- 
ally obtained is good, the 
county being characterized 

YiKws i.v Tyler.— S, Soutli Side Public School. 
9, North Side Public School. 10, Business Block. 
11, Hruit Exposition. 12. Business Street. 





rather by a uniformity of fair crops than 
by occasional!}' extraordinary yields. 
Good freestone water is readily obtain- 
able in all parts of the county in wells 
of moderate depth, and good springs 
are numerous. Artesian water of good 
quality is found in several parts of the 
county. The standard of health is high, 
and the county will compare favorably 
with any portion of the State. 

Improved lands sell from $3 to $15 per 
acre, unimproved from $2 to $7 per acre. 
Average taxable value $3.63 per acre. 
There are 72 mortgages on record amount- 
ing to $101,649; 1,682 farms in cultiva- 
tion, 1,010 of which are operated by 
renters; 572 farm laborers, with average 
wages of $10.33 per month. There are 
1,341 acres in peaches, 225 in apples, 19 
in plums, 7 in pears, 230 in melons, 296 
in gardens and 600 in grapes. Assessed 
value of property in 1894, $5,991,813; 
county rate of taxation, 65 cents on $100. 

Business — There are 3 National banks, 
with a total capital stock of $400,000, 
142 mercantile establishments, 3 saw 
mills, 1 ice factory, 5 canning factories 
and 1 iron foundry. 

Churches — Methodist, Baptist, Pres- 
byterian, Cumberland Presbyterian, 
Episcopalian, Catholic and Jewish. 

Schools — The county has 160 schools. 

Tyler — This is a well built and com- 
pact little city, situate in the geographi- 
cal center of the county. It has all the 
conveniences and social advantages 
common to places of much larger popu- 
lation. The census gives it 6,908 in- 
habitants. Since then the increase in 
population has been rapid, and it may 
be safely estimated that Tyler has from 
10,000 to 11,000 residents within its 
limits. It is situated on high, rolling, 
well drained ground, and contains an 
exceptionally large number of attractive 
residence and business buildings. The 
business part is substantially built, the 
prevailing m-aterial used in construction 
ijeing brick. The residence part con- 
tains man}' attractive flower gardens, the 
soil and climate being perfectly adapted 
to the successful cultivation of most of 
the more delicate and highly ornamental 
plants. Hence it is a pleasant abiding 
place for travellers and tourists. 

The city, which is the county seat, 
was named in honor o{ President Tyler, 
under whose administration Texas was 
admitted into the Union. It has two 
commodious public school buildings for 
white children, and the ICast Texas Uni- 
versity, a school of high standing, under 
able management. Amjile educational 
facilities have been provided for colored 
children. Among the public and semi- 



public buildings are some 6 or 7 fine 
brick churches, the general hospital of 
the St. Louis Southwestern Railway, 
Cotton Belt Route, the county court 
house, jail, city hall. Government build- 
ings, three large brick hotels, three 
national bank buildings, and numerous 
modern business blocks. The city has 
free mail delivery, an excellent system 
of waterworks, a fire department, good 
sewerage, an electric light plant, street 
car lines, and a telephone system. 

It is far in advance of other cities of 
East Texas as a manufacturing point. 
Its several industrial enterprises consist 
of an extensive willow-ware factory, en- 
gaged principally in the manufacture of 
willow and rattan chairs, an ice factory 
capable of turning out daily 20 tons of 
ice, a pottery engaged in the manufac- 
ture of standard goods, as well as orna- 
mental work ; the Tyler Car and Lumber 
Company, employing some 500 men; an 
extensive establishment for the manufac- 
ture of cofhns, a large iron and brass 
foundry and machine shop, two brick- 
yards, two bottling works, a large cotton 
compress, an iron rolling mill, a box 
factory, a carriage and wagon factory, 
and a large printing house. The can- 
ning of fruit has grown into an exten- 
sive business, and large shipments are 
made from the several canneries located 
here. Tyler is situated on the main line 
of the St. Louis Southwestern or Cotton 
Belt Route and is 128 miles southwest of 
Texarkana. The Tyler Southeastern 
Railway, a branch of the Cotton Belt 
Route, diverges here and extends to 
Lufkin in Angelina County, a distance 
of 90 miles, where it connects with the 
Houston, I'vast & West Texas Railway. 
The Mineola branch of the International 
& Great Northern Railway crosses the 
Cotton Belt Route at Tyler, at which 
place the general offices of the Cotton 
Belt (Texas lines) are sitviated. An 
annual fruit fair is held at Tyler in the 
month of July in each year. 

The other towns of Smith County are: 
Troupe, population 500, containing four 
churches, a district school and a steam 
gin and grist mill; Winona, with 200 
inhabitants, with 4 general stores and a 
gin and grist mill; Bullard, with 200 
inhabitants, 2 churches, 2 cotton gin and 
grist mills and 4 general stores ; Lindale, 
with 500 inhabitants, 5 flour mills and 
gins, 1 shingle mill, canning factory, a 
high school and some 6 mercantile es- 
tablishments; and Omen, population 
350; Starrville, population 175; Swan, 
population 200; Mount Sylvan, popula- 
tion 300; Fruitland, population 150, and 
Carroll, population 100. 



Cbcrohcc County, lEcias. 



THIS county has an area of 1,00S 
square miles and ll,^lb inhabitants. 
The Neches River forms the west- 
ern boundary, and the Angelina River 
borders the eastern boundary for a dis- 
tance of 30 miles. Smith County adjoins 
the county on the north boundary. It 
was organized in 1846, and is traversed 




water for all purposes, by the Neches 
and Angelina Rivers and their numerous 
tributaries. Large, free flowing springs 
are very numerous and good freestone 
water is obtainable in wells at any desired 
point. Springs of sulphur, alum and 
chalybeate waters are found near Rusk, 
the county seat, and also in other places, 

, and are highly esteemed for 

-' their medicinal properties. 

About eight-tenths of the 
area was originally covered with 
timber, composed of pine, sev- 
eral kinds of oak, red elm, 
black locust, black walnut, ash. 
chinquapin, hickory, persim- 
mon, black haw, mulberry, 
sycamore, holly, cherry, c}-- 
press and sassafras. Short leaf 
and loblolly pine are still suf- 



f r o ra north to 
south by the Tyler 
Southeastern Rail- 
way, a branch of 
the Cotton Belt 
Route, and also by 
the International 
& Great Northern 
Railway, passing 
through the north- 
ern part from 
Longview to Pal- 
estine. Jackson- 
ville forms the 
junction of the two lines, which have an 
aggregate mileage in the county of 56.82 
miles, assessed at $312,510. 

About one-half of the area of the 
county is suitable for cultivation. The 
general surface is broken, high hills, or 
long ridges alternating with narrow val- 
leys. The hills in some portions of the 
county reach a considerable altitude as 
comparing with the general level. The 
soils are the red, gray and chocolate - 
colored in the uplands, the latter pre- 
dominating. The valley or bottom lands 
are generally stiff black, or black sandy 
lands. Much of the land is very pro- 
ductive, and the greater 
portion of it is of easy cul- 
tivation. The county is 
abundantly supplied with 




Cciently abundant to furnish merchant- 
able lumber for a number of years to 
come. 

The climate is not subject to ex- 
tremes of either heat or cold, and the 
rainfall is not only sufficient, but is so 
distributed through the year as to render 
diversified farming fairly successful. 
The general health is good, the only 
exceptions being occasional malarial 
attacks of a mild type along the river 
and creek bottoms. 

r'arming and fruit growing are the 
principal pursuits of the population.' 
The manuf.ictnriii'^ enterprises consist 



Wf^ 



Views in Rusk. 

1, Business Block. 

2, Iron Works near Rusk. 

3, State Penitentiary. 




^^BiFi 





of several saw and shingle mills, flouring 
and corn mills, cotton gins, potteries 
and iron works. The usual yield of 
cotton to the acre is 800 pounds in the 
seed; corn, 25 bushels; wheat, 10 bush- 
els; oats, 40 bushels; rye, 12 bushels; 
barley, 40 bushels'; molasses, 300 gal- 
lons; Irish potatoes, 100 bushels; sweet 
potatoes, 300 bushels; peas, 100 bushels. 
Vegetables of all kinds are success- 
fully cultivated and yield handsomely. 
Peaches, pears, plums, apricots and sev- 
eral varieties of grapes find here most 
favorable soils and climatic conditions. 
Peaches especially are nowhere surpassed 
in size, color, and flavor. The post oak 
grape, and several other native varieties, 
found in abundance in the forests, yield 
a profusion of fruit, from which a very 
good wine is made. 

Most of the farms, of which there are 
1,843, are small in area. They cover 
85,313 acres and produced in 1894, 9,236 
bales of cotton, 470,003 bushels of corn, 
4,390 bushels of oats and wheat, 34,166 
bushels of sweet potatoes, 3,856 bushels 
of Irish potatoes, 781 barrels of sugar, 
212 barrels of sorghum molasses, and 
4,618 tons of cotton seed. The orchard 
and garden products consist of 1,449 
acres in peaches, valued at $26,934; 65 
acres in apples, valued at $1,229; 
33 acres in plums, valued at 
|397; 18 acres in pears, 
valued at $415 ; 45 acres 
in melons, valued at 
$1,015; 301 acres in 
garden, valued at 
$28,218, and 1 
acre in grapes 
valued at 
$429. The 
value of the 
field, orchard, 
and garden crops for 
1894 amounted to 




$695,010, to which might be added $1,376, 
the products of the apiary. 

The native grasses are nutritious, but 
not abundant except along the water 
courses. Enclosed Bermuda grass pas- 
tures have proven highly advantageous 
for stock-raising purposes during the 
summer months, but during the winter 
more or less feeding is required. Japan 
clover has made its appearance in sev- 
eral parts of the county within the last 
decade, and forms a highly prized forage. 
The live stock of the county consists 
of 6,511 horses and mules; 17,665 headol 
cattle; 15 jacks and jennets ; 1,696 sheep; 
1,389 goats, and 20,709 hogs. The whole 
valued at $343,823. 

Improved lands sell at prices ranging 
from $5 to $15 per acre; unimproved 
lands may be had at $1 to $5 per acre. 
The assessed value of all property in 
the county in 1894, was $3,070,851. The 
school population numbers 5,296 pupils, 
for whose benefit 110 schools are main- 
tained. The number of teachers em- 
ployed is 123. 

Iron ore of superior quality is found 

in several parts of the county, and at 

Rusk, in the State Penitentiary located 

there, furnaces and foundries have been 

in operation for a number of years. 

Other furnaces have been built at 

New Birmingham and at a 

point between Rusk and New 

Birmingham. 

Rusk, the county seat, is 
located on the Cotton 
]'i(.'lt Route, and has 
about 2,000 in- 
habitants. It 
has a com- 
m o d i o u s 
and neatly 
furnished 
court house, 4 
churches, good 
schools, 2 banks, 2 
weekly newspapers, saw 
and planing mills, brick- 
yards, cotton gins, a street 
car line, several good 
hotels, some 15 or 20 busi- 
ness houses, and numerous 
handsome residence build- 
ings. The Eastern Texas 
Penitentiary is located here, 
the convicts being princi- 
pally employed in the 
manufacture of iron ware, 
the smelting works being 
operated by the State. The 
exports of Rusk consist of 
lumber, cotton, hides and 
iron ware. The town is in- 
corporated. 



SCENES IN CHRROKEE CODNTV, NEAR JACKSONVILLE. 



Jacksonville forms the junction of the 
Tyler Southeastern branch of the Cotton 
Belt Route with the International & Great 
Northern Railway. It is situated 15 miles 
northwest of Rusk; is incorporated, and 
has about 2,000 inhabitants. There are 
in Jacksonville, 5 churches, good schools, 
an opera house, a bank, a cannery, saw 
and planing mills, brick yards, good 
hotels, some 20 mercantile establish- 
ments, cotton gins and grist mills, and 
several nurseries. Ex- 
ports of the town are ^ 
lumber, canned goods, 
fruits, hides, etc. 

New Birmingham is 
situated 1^2 miles south 
of Rusk. It was settled 
in 18S8. It has about 
1,000 inhabitants. The 
town was located here 
with a view to develop 
the great iron deposits 
found in this vicinity, 
and extensive iron works 
have been erected for 



mended to persons seeking a new loca- 
tion as the cultivation of peaches in 
Cherokee County, particularly in and 
around Jacksonville. The peach crop 
is almost a certainty, and the quality of 
the fruit produced is unsur])assed any- 
where in the country, and the demand 
in the Northern markets for this partic- 
ular cpiality of fruit has steadily in- 
creased until at the present time the 
fanciest prices paid for peaches can be 





.\i,E.\ANni;R Institute, Jacksonville, Ci 



that purpose. The town has electric 
light and telephone service, a fine hotel, 
a bank, an ice factory, plow and wagon 
works, brick }ards, a weekly news- 
paper, and many elegant business 
blocks and private residences. 

The other towns in the county are, 
Alto, population 210; Gent, population 
118; Larissa, population lv59. 

Pk.vch Cui.turk — There is, possibly, 
no other branch of agriculture or horti- 
culture that can be so strongly recom- 



obtained for the 
Cherokee County 
fruit. The ship- 
ments from Jack- 
sonville for Eastern 
markets are annu- 
ally very large, and 
reach as high as 
100,000 boxes, which 
delivered at the sta- 
tion are worth over 
530,000. This]5rod- 
uct could be in- 
creased ten fold in 
the county without 
in an}' way impair- 
' ing the demand. 
^ The railroad facili- 

ties, particularly at 
Jacksonville, for the shipment of fruit 
are unexcelled, and every encourage- 
ment is offered by the railroads to those 
wishing to engage in fruit culture. 

Bkk Cri-TiRK — This industry has also 
1)een found very profitable. The pro- 
fusion of wild flowers throughout the 
county produces a quality of honey much 
sought after. The cultivation of the bee 
recjuires so little ground and attention, 
that almost any farmer can engage in it 
and make a handsome profit. 




Hngelina County* XTcxae. 



THIS county lies between the Angelina and Neches Rivers, the first named 
stream separating it from Nacogdoches and San Augustine Counties, and the 
last named from Houston, Trinity, Polk and Tyler Counties. It has an area 
of 878 square miles, and is quite irregular in shape. Water courses are very 
numerous and carry water all the year round. Poffer, Big, Gilleland, Odel, Shaw- 
nee, Buck, Cedar and Jack Creeks, are tributaries of the Neches and the Angelina 
Rivers, and perform the drainage of the county. Springs and wells are numerous, 
and good water is easily obtained at a shallow depth. The climate in general is 
pleasant and healthful. The summer temperature is generally very moderate, 
seldom, if ever, reaching 95 degrees; in winter, water seldom freezes. 

The surface of the county is generally rolling, rising in higher swells toward a 
center ridge running almost parallel with the rivers and 

"^ forming a water-shed between them. Much of it is fairly 

; productive upland, the smaller proportion of lands, the 

\ bottoms, being naturall}' more fertile. The soils are varia- 

A \ ble, but consist in the main of gray, red and black sandy 

A loams, occasionally interspersed with areas of red clay and 

j|P[^ stiff black lands. With the exception of a few small prairies, 

N ' w , ^ nearly all of the county was originally covered with long 

and short leaf and loblolly pine, ash, walnut, wild peach, 
i hickory, beech, birch, magnolia, elm, and several varieties 
^; of oak. The supply of merchantable pine is 

■r^tu^^^ , --', M^.- still very abundant, and its export and man- 

ufacture form a very important industry in 
the county. Large quantities of pine logs 
^411 are rafted down the Neches River to Beau- 
'^ mont, in Jefferson County, to supply the 
.-' saw mills situated there. 

About two-thirds of the lands in the 
county are arable, and about 900 farms are 
in cultivation. As in most timbered sec- 
tions, the cultivated area on the farms is 
small as compared with the farms of the 
prairie counties. Of the population, a 
majority are engaged in farming, though 
a considerable number follow lumber- 
ing and other pursuits. 

The best bottom lands produce from 800 to 1,600 

pounds of seed cotton to the acre, ranging in yield 

according to the season, and to more or less thorough 

cultivation. Corn yields on an average 30 bushels 

to the acre on the bottom lands, and 20 bushels on 

^ the uplands; oats, 38 

fi,^ bushels; ryeandbarley, 

^ .^ifej 20 bushels each ; sugar, 

l.OOOpounds; molasses, 

350 gallons; sorghum 

syrup, 150 gallons; Irish 

potatoes, 200 bushels; 




Views in Lufkin. 

1, Clawson's Mill. 

2. Baptist Church. 

.^, Scene near I^ufkin. 

4, Coniniercial Hotel. 

5, Sorghum Mills 



sweet potatoes, 200 bushels; peas, 50 
bushels, peanuts, 300 bushels; onions, 
200 bushels; hay, 2 tons; tobacco, 1,000 
pounds; melons, 1,000; rice, where prop- 
erly cultivated, yields well. Fruits of all 
descriptions are profitably grown, and in 
this county consist of early apples, 
peaches, pears, quinces, plums, straw- 
berries, raspberries, blackberries, and 
other small fruits. The vegetable garden 
is an unqualified success in favorable loca- 
tions. The native grasses, while neither 
as valuable or abundant as in the prairie 
counties, form a material aid in raising 
live stock, being available a considerable 
portion of the year. Bermuda grass past- 
ures have been largely introcluced, and 
with the switch cane, and grasses com- 
mon to the bottom lands, it is practica- 
l)le to successfully and profitably carry 
stock through almost the entire year. 
The hickory, beech and acorn mast is 
generally very abundant in the forests, 
and hogs are carried through to maturity 
at very little expense. Domestic fowl of 
all kinds thrive well, and there is still 
considerable game, such as deer, wild 
turkey, partridge and quail. Fish are 
very abundant in all the streams. 

The county was organized in 1846, 
and in 1890 had 6,304 inhabitants. The 
population has, since then, materially 
increased. The assessed value of all 
property in 1894 amounted to $2,052,402, 
of which 1216,667 was charged to rail- 
ways, and $146,342 to live stock. The 
school facilities are good and efficient, 
there being 57 schoolhouses, 68 teachers, 
and 3,137 enrolled pupils. There were 
in cultivation, in 1894, 24,060 acres, 
which produced 3,880 bales of cotton, 
150,134 bushels of corn, 1,896 bushels of 
oats and other small grain, 63,535 bushels 
of Irish and sweet potatoes, 5,182 bushels 
of peas, 595 barrels of sugar, 3,431 
bushels of peanuts, 1,735 pounds of 
tobacco, and 1,940 tons of cotton seed. 



There were also in orchard and garden 
675 acres, yielding a revenue in apples, 
plums, pears, melons, grapes and truck, 
of $29,340. The value of all agricultural 
and horticultural products obtained was 
$299,995. The products of the apiarv 
are reported at $1,073. 

The live stock of the county consists 
of 2,666 horses and mules, valued at 
$92,727; 12,013 head of cattle, valued at 
$49,782; 15 jacks and jennets, valued at 
$490; 1,215 head of sheep, valued at 
$1,215; 905 goats, valued at $463; and 
16,651 hogs, valued at $16,662. 

The county enjoys good railroad facili- 
ties. The St. Louis Southwestern, or 
Cotton Belt, which enters the county 
from the north, has its terminus at 
Lufkin, the county seat. This line 
extends northward to Jacksonville and 
Tyler, at which latter point it forms a 
junction with the main line of the same 
railway. The Houston, East and West 
Texas Railway, forms a junction with the 
Cotton Belt at Lufkin. and Houston, Tex., 
extending thence to Shreveport, La. 

Lufkin, now the county seat of 
Angelina County, has about 1,000 in- 
habitants, and forms the junction of the 
Cotton Belt and Houston East and West 
Texas Railways. It was settled in 1882. 
Has 2 saw mills, 2 cotton gins, some 14 
or 15 business houses, 2 grist mills, a 
brick yard, several hotels, and a weekly 
newspaper. It is an incorporated town, 
and transacts a large busine.ss in cotton 
and lumber. 

Homer, formerly the county seat, is 
63.2 miles southea.st of Lufkin. It has 
about 650 inhabitants, 2 steam grist 
mills, a cotton gin. a hotel, 3 churches. 
2 good schools, and about 10 commercial 
houses. About 15 miles southeast of 
this town there are some sulphur springs, 
which are highly esteemed for their 
curative properties in cases of dropsy, 
general debility, etc. 




A Nkw Homk in TUl 



VKAR LrFKIN. 



1bcu^cr0ou County?, XTcxas. 

THIS county is bounded on the north 
bv Kaufman and Van Zandt Coun- 
ties, on the south by Anderson 
County, on the east by the 
Neches River, and on the 
west by the Trinity. The 
area is 965 square miles. 
In this county and in the 
tier of counties lying be- 
tween the Trinity and 
Neches Rivers, and ex- 




tending southeastwardly almost to tin- 
Gulf, is the western limit of the great 
pine forests peculiar to eastern Texas. 
Originally Henderson County was almost 
an unbroken forest, the areas of open 
country being very small. While a con- 
siderable acreage has been denuded of 
timber to make room for farms or for the 
lumber that the trees would furnish, 
there is still standing a large supply of 
good short-leaf pine timber. The up- 
lands are covered with a dense growth 
of post oak, red oak, hickory, blackjack 
and sand jack timber. The high 
sandy hills maintain most of the 
])ine timber, while in and near 
the bottoms are found water 
oak , white oak , sweet gum , 
sassafras, etc. The sur- 
face of the county 
consists of level 
upland, high, hilly 
sandy tracts, and 
wide alluvial bottoms 
bordering the numerous 
water courses. It is esti- 
mated that about three - 
fourths of the soil in the 
county is suitable for 
farming. Much of the 
upland is thin soil, 
and considered un- 
suitable for agricul- 




VlEWS 

IN Athens. 

1, Pottery Work.s. 

2, Pottery Works. 

3, Public Square. 
4 School House 
5, Court House. 



Uiiil pursuits, yet all of it under culti- 
vation yields much better than its appear- 
ance would indicate. Most of the soils 
on the uplands are a sandy, gray loam, 
which, it is claimed, is among the surest 
and best producing cotton land in the 
State. The bottom lands as a rule are 
rich alluvials, and produce well. The 
average yield of standard crops per acre 
in the county ranges from 650 to 1,300 
pounds of seed cotton, from 20 to 30 
bushels of corn, and 15 to 35 bushels of 
oats; sorghum, millet and small grain 
are grown and yield well. Vegetables 
are raised cheaply and in abundance. 
Peaches and apples have been generally 
planted, and where good selections have 
been made as to varieties, and proper 
attention has been given, fine, large fruit 
and great crops have been secured. The 
climate is sufficiently ecjuable to insure a 
good fruit crop almost every year. The 
prevailing native grass is the sedge, a 
fairl)' good spring and summer grass, 
but not available for winter pasturage. 
Feeding is required during the winter 
months for all kinds of live stock, but the 
superior class of stock raised pays well 
for the additional attention they receive. 
The summer tem])erature ranges from 
60 to 90 degrees, and that of winter from 
30 to 57 degrees. The average annual 
rainfall is about 42 inches, and is very 



regular in its precipitation. Loss of or 
damage to growing crops from drouth 
is of rare occurrence . The domestic water 
supply is obtained from numerous good 
wells of moderate depth, though springs 
of excellent water are found on many 
farms. The drainage of the county is 
performed by the Trinity and Neches 
Rivers, and Kicka])oo, I''lat,T\vin, Caney, 
Walnut, Cedar and other creeks, which 
afford an unfailing supply of stock water 
to all parts of the county. 

Henderson County was formed from 
Houston and Nacogdoches Counties, in 
1846, and was named in honor of James 
Pinkney Henderson, the first Governor 
of Texas after annexation to the United 
States. The main line of the St. Louis 
Southwestern Railway traverses the 
whole length of the county from north- 
east to southwest. The principal town 
on the railway in this county is Athens, 
the county seat. The mileage is 42.45 
miles, assessed at $369,486. The popu- 
lation of the county in 1890 was reported 
at 12,285, which has since then increased 
considerably. The assessed value of 
taxable property in 1894 was rendered at 
$2,502,439, an increase of $61,416 over 
the previous j-ear's rendition. The coun- 
ty is well provided with educational con- 
veniences, there being maintained 80 
school houses, in which 107 teachers are 
emploved; 2,897 pupils were enrolled 
during the year (1894). There are 1,285 
farms in the county, and on these 48,653 
acres were in cultivation. The crops 
produced consisted of 7,003 bales of cot- 
ton, 269,265 bushelsof corn, 27,496 bush- 
els oats, barley, rye and wheat; 19,086 
bushels of Irish and sweet potatoes, 
4,692 bushels of peas and beans, 106 tons 
of prairie hay; 230 barrels of sugar, 99 



barrels of sorghum syru]), and 3,502 tons 
of cotton seed. The money value of these 
crops is reported at $458,000. The in- 
come derived from the garden and orchard 
is not a small item. It is valued at $55,- 
061, and was derived from 589 acres in 
peaches, 112 acres in apples, pears and 
plums, 45 acres in melons, 241 acres in 
garden truck and 10 acres in gra])es. 
The product of the apiary is valued at 
$2,255. The live stock of the county con- 
sists of 5,049 horses and mules, valued 
at $189,551; 16,097 head of cattle, valued 
at $89,083; 49 jacks and jennets, valued 
at $4,720; 850 sheep, valued at $804; 766 
goats, valued at $443, and 19,117 hogs, 
valued at $27,831. 

Athens, the county seat, is a prosper- 
ous town of 1,500 inhabitants, situated 
37 miles east of Corsicana. It is a well 
built town, having all modern conven- 
iences incident to a place of its dimen- 
sions. It has a bank, a weekly news- 
paper, a good school, several large brick, 
pottery and tile factories, several cotton 
gins, some 18 or 20 mercantile houses 
and several good hotels. 

Malakoff, is a town on the Cotton Belt 
Route, 9 miles west of Athens. It has 
325 inhabitants, 1 corn mill and cotton 
gin, and some 8 or 9 mercantile estab- 
lishments, also several churches and a 
good school. 

Brownsboro, is a village on the Cot- 
ton Belt Route, 17 miles northeast of 
Athens. It contains 4 churches, several 
steam grist mills, cotton gins, 5 or 6 
general stores and a good hotel. It has 
300 inhabitants. 

Fincastle and Goshen are small vil- 
lages of 50 to 100 inhabitants each. 
The}- have each several cotton gins and 
general stores. 




I'ARM Scene— Hkndkrson Cointy. 



IPlavarro County, tTexas. 



THIS count}' lies on the west bank of 
the Trinity River, and is in the 
fifth tier of counties soiith of Red 
River. Ellis County adjoins it on the 
north, Hill County on the west, and 
Limestone and Freestone Counties on 
the south. It was formed from Robert- 
son County in 1846, and was organized 
in the same year. It has an area of 1,055 
square miles, and, in 1890, had 26,373 
inhabitants. 

The general elevation of the county is 
from 400 to 600 feet above sea level, the 
greater part of the surface being well- 
drained rolling prairie land. The frontage 
on Trinity River, which forms the 
eastern boundary, has a length of thirty - 
five miles. Chambers and Richland 
Creeks, both large streams, flow through 
the county, the one from northwest to 
southeast, the other from west to east, 
and unite near the southeastern corner. 
Tributary to these are a number of 
smaller but unfailing streams, affording 
an abundance of water for stock and 
general purposes. Where streams are 
not convenient, artificial tanks or reser- 
voirs are largely used, the soil being 
such as to readily admit of their con- 
struction. There are but few springs, 
but good water is easily 
obtained from wells of 
moderate depth. 

Artesian water is abun- 
dant in this county. 
A t Corsicana, the 
count)' seat, is one 




well 2,477 feet in depth, having a flow 
of 300,000 gallons of water per day. 
The water so obtained is of excellent 
quality, and has a temperature of 126 
degrees Fahrenheit as it emerges from 
the well. Petroleum and natural gas 
have been found in nearly all the borings 
made, and it is thought that they can be 
developed to advantage. 

The bottom lands, frequently a mile 
or more in width, along the water 
courses are covered with a forest growth, 
consisting of hickory, pin oak, cedar and 
Cottonwood. Mesquite timber is scat- 
tered extensively over the prairies in 
some parts of the county, and post oak 
and black jack are found in considera- 
ble abundance on the sandy uplands. 
Cedar, large enough for fence posts, is 
plentiful in some of the creek bottoms. 
It is estimated that one-fifth of the area 
is covered with timber. 

In its geological structure, the country 
is classed with the chalk formation. 
The strata are thin, and slightly inclined 
to the southeast, and, being composed 
of successive layers of soft limestone, 
sandstone, clays and marls, produce a 
variety of soils. 

The soils generally contain an admix- 
ture of lime and organic remains, which 
render them very fertile. The black 
prairie lands predominate, and these are 
considered as best adapted to the profit- 
able cultivation of cotton, 
""^ grain and forage. The sandy 
post oak lands are usually 
preferred in the 
growing of fruits 
and vegetables. 
Nearly the entire 
area of the county 
is capable of profit- 
able tillage, the 



Views in Corsicana. 

1, Artesian Wells. 

2, Business Street. 

3, Oil Mill. 

4 Cotton Compress. 



12« 



I 



cliitiale and ^oils hciiii; highly fa\oral)le 
to (li\crsifie(l fariiiinj^. 

All the standard crops of the State are 
i^rown here successfully, and the yield 
obtained per acre, in ciuality 
and quantity will aver- 
aj^e well with the 
best obtained in 
other counties. 
The mean an- 
nual rainfall is 
39 inches, and 
is generally 







timely in its 
precipitation, 
so as CO insure 
s atisfactory 
returns from 
.igrieulUiral operations. 

Mes(iuite grass and the ordinary 
prairie grasses common to this part of 
Texas are abundant, and formerly the 
open range was deemed suthcient for 
successful stock-raising. The rapid 
settlement of the county within the past 
15 years has brought about the fencing 
of the lands used for pasturage. This 
was followed by the introduction of 
improved breeds of cattle and hogs. .Vt 
the present time the raising of live stock 
is more especially contined to the farms 
and better and more proiitable stock is 
sent to market. 

The county was named in honor of 
Jose Antonio Navarro, who was an 
active participant in the Texan W'.ir of 
Independence, and later a member of 
the Texan Congress. After an- -=-=— 
nexation, he represented the \ 
Bexar District in the State Senate. 
He died in 1S70 at San .-\ntonio, 
leaving behiml him the reputation 
of a sincere and incorruptible 
patriot. 

The first white settlements of 
note in Navarro Count}' were ::iade 

ViRWS IN- CoRstc.\NA. — 9. Residcuce 

Senator .Mills. 10. K'si.lence (i. N. Jester. 
U, Coiiviiit. \2. Kt^iiienct.' R. C Pace. 
1.5. Public School. 14. City HaM. 15. 
Court House. 



bv nu'iiibers of .Mercer s Colons- 

in the '40's. When the count v 

was first formed it embraced the 

territory now comprising Na\arro, 

I'illis, Hill, Tarrant, and part of 

cLennan Counlies. The origin.d 

ity seat w;\s in uhat is now Hill 

nty. Corsicana, the i^X'-enl county 

seat, is at the ge(^)gr i])hical (■(.iilfr of 

Navarro County. 

The railway facilities <>f N.warro 
County are ample, and consist of 
the St. Louis Southwestern or 
Cotton Relt Railway, which 
7^ traverses the counts' fr(nu 

northeast to southwest, forming 
a junction with its Hillsboro Branch at 
Corsicana, where it also crosses the 
Houston & Texas Central, which last 
luunetl railway traverses the county froui 
north to south. These railways have a 
mileage of 101.17 miles in the county, 
assessed for taxation at >*)16.S6,S. 

The assessed value of all taxable prop- 
erty in the county in 1.S94 was SIO 670 350, 
showing an increase of 5165,1 IJ o\ir the 
previous year's renditions. 

Improved lands sell at prices ranging 
from $15 to 535 per acre, the prices 
varying in accordance uith 
improvements ami location, 
improved land can generalU be 



at $5 
erage 



to $15 per acre 
taxable value 
laiul in the county is 
$7.35 per acre. 

The county school 
system is well 
managed and 
complete; it 




127 



comprises 114 school houses, in which 
Lv teachers are employed. There were 
enrolled 1 .19b pn]:)ils durintj the year. 

The number of farms in the county is 
j.^iven at 1,111 , on which there were in 
1S94, 166,487 acres in cultivation. The 
product consisted of 42,.S6S bales of 
cotton, valueil at 51,618,865; 1,352,335 
Inishels of torn, valued at 5^12,165; 
8,328 bushels of wheat, valued at ?3,970; 
327,178 bushels of oats, valued at ?90,345 ; 
197 bushels of barley and rye, valued at 
$135; 50,067 bushels of Irish and sweet 
potatoes, valued at 56,355; 700 bushels 
of peas, valued at 5700; 4,207 tons of 
hay, millet, etc., valued at 532,115, and 
20,984 tons of cotton seed, valued at 
5167,872; the value of the entire crop 
beinj^ 5-. 332, 797. The values produced 
on 480 acres of orchard and garden 
amounted to 523,745. 

There are in the count\- 21.042 horses 
and mules, value 5760,160; 32,616 liead 
of cattle, value 5217,775; 165 jacks and 
jennets, valued at 518,550; 781 shee]), 
valued at 5''70; 58 goats, valued at 5~5, 
and 18,828 hogs, valued at 538,120. 

Corsicana, tlie county seat, became a 
railroad ]>oint m 1872, u]ion the advent 
of the Houstt)n X: Texas Central Raihva^•. 
In 1878 the Cotton Belt Railway al.so 
reached this ])oint, which is also the 
initial ]Hjim of the Corsicana 6c Hillsboro 
branch of the same raihva\". Corsicana 
has about 8,(KK) inh.abitants, a progres- 
sive, well-to-do and energetic peojjle. 
It is an incorporated city, having a fine 
water works system, free mail delivery, 



a complete sewerage system, an electric 
light and gas plant, several wholesale 
houses, a public park, nmnerous chari- 
table and literary societies, churches 
and good schools. The greater part fif 
the business portion is constructed of 
brick, many of the business houses 
being elegant structures of two and three 
stories. The residence ])ortion contains 
a number of very attractive buildings, 
situated on broad, graded and well- 
shaded avenues. Among the commercial 
features are 3 national banks, a com- 
mercial club, a commodious oj^era house, 
a sjjlendid court house, a fine three-story 
brick hotel, and several smaller ones. 
Corsicana has 2 cotton compresses, which 
handled 100,000 bales of cotton last 
season, 2 cotton oil mills, capable of 
handling 250 tons of seed per day, a 
large roller flouring mill, capacity 200 
barrels per day, and a roller corn mill, 
a fifteen-ton ice plant, bottling works, 
iron and brass foundr}', 3 ]ilaning mills, 
2 brick ^•ards, broom factorw and 2 large 
cotton gins. 

The b_N-products of the cotton seed oil 
mills are used for fattening cattle. Over 
8,0()0 head were fed there during the 
past season. One daily and two weeklv 
]ia]iers are published at Corsicana. 

There are a inimber of small towns in 
the county, and of these the most im- 
]>ortant ])oints are Kerens, ])o)iulation 
503; Dawson, ))oi)ulation 365 ; Blooming 
Grove, population 175; Chatfield, popu- 
lation 100; Dresden, population 151, 
and I'ursley, population 180. 










ZJiJSL 






Tlll-l sniNi; .SCKNK — N.WAKkM Coi N I \ 



128 



Ibill Count\>, Xlexae. 



THIS county lies in Central Texas, 
being in the fifth tier of counties 
south of Red River, and lying on 
the east bank of the Brazos River, which 
forms the southwestern boundary for a 
distance, by the course of the stream, 
of 50 miles. Adjoining it on the north 
is Johnson Count}', and on the east are 
Ellis and Navarro Counties. The county 
was formed from Navarro County in 
1853 and organized at the same time. 
Its area is 1,030 square miles, and its 
population in 1890 was 27,,SS3. vSince 
then it has greatly in- 
creased. It is essen- 
tially a farming count}-, 
with very little waste- 
land, capable of main- 
taining a very largr 
rural population, whicli 
naturally is followed by 
the building of numer- 
ous smaller towns, and 
the construction of rail- 
ways. 

Hillsboro, one of the 
most progressive and 
prosperous of the smaller 
cities of Central Texas, is 
the railroad, commercial 
and geographical center, 
as well as the county 
seat, of Hill County. It is 
a compact little city of 
5,000 inhabitants, with a 
promise of continued 
prosperity and development. The place 
is 35 or 40 years old, but until the arrival 
of the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Rail- 
way in 1882, was an obscure village of a 
few hundred inhabitants. To-day Hills- 
boro has the main lines, and the Dallas 
& Hillsboro Branch of the Missouri, 
Kansas & Texas Railway, and the Cor- 
sicana & Hillsboro Branch of the St. 
Louis Southwestern Railway, placing 
the city in connection with all leading 
cities in the State. As a commercial point, 



backed by a well populated and highly 
fertile country, the city has excellent 
advantages, and in addition to a large 
retail trade it is building up a desirable 
wholesale and jobbing business with 
contiguous towns. 

Most of the business buildings are 
constructed of brick and some of them 
are very attractive and costly, and 
during the year 1895 about $100,000 have 
been expended on new structures. 
Among the more handsome buildings 
may be mentioned the fine .'<tone court 




house, erected at a cost of $100,000, the 
county jail, the 4 public school buildings, 
and the numerous churches, most of 
w-hich are handsome, well designed 
edifices, There are also many elegant 
and beautiful private residences. 

The public school system is very com- 
plete, and is efficient to carry 1,200 
pupils from the primary grades through 
a high school course, so as to enable 
graduates from the high school to enter 
the State University wiilioul going 




Fasm Scene in Hill County. 



through a preparatory course. The 
industrial enterprises consist of the 
railway machine shops, an oil mill, 
capable of working up 60 tons of cotton 
seed per day, a cotton compress, which 
handled 52,000 bales of cotton in 1895, 
three large cotton gins, an iron foundry 
and general machine shop, a large ice 
plant, 2 bottling works, a steam laundry, 
a planing mill, an electric light plant. 
The city also maintains a volunteer fire 
department, and telephone service. One 
of the largest artesian wells in the State 
is here, the depth being 1,700 feet, and 
the flow enormous. 

The other important trade centers in 
the county are the following: 

Itaska, population 1,000, situated 12 
miles north of Hillsboro, on the Mis- 
souri, Kansas & Texas Railway. It has 
a national bank, 3 steam cotton gins, 
and grist mills, 3 churches, 3 hotels, a 
weekly newspaper and some 25 business 
houses. It is an incorporated town. 

Mount Calm is on the St. Louis 
Southwestern Railway, 25 miles south- 
east of Hillsboro. It has 260 inhabit- 




ants, 2 churches, a school, 2 steam 
cotton gins and grist mills, a hotel and 

6 mercantile establishments. 
Whitney, has 800 inhabitants, and is 

located on the Texas Central Railway, 
12 miles southwest of Hillsboro. It has 
several fine church buildings, good 
schools, an opera house, several hotels, 
a bank, grist mills and cotton gins, a 
weekly newspaper, and about 30 mer- 
cantile houses. 

Hubbard City is on the St. Louis 
Southwestern Railway, is incorporated 
and has 1,000 inhabitants. It has 5 
churches, a high school, a graded school, 
a bank, cotton gins, gristmills, a weekly 
newspaper, a hotel, and about 20 mer- 
cantile establishments. 

Blum has about 500 inhabitants, and 
is situated on the Gulf, Colorado & 
Santa Fe Railway, 24 miles northwest 
of Hillsboro. It contains 4 churches, a 
graded public school, a bank, a hotel, 
cotton gin and grist mill, besides about 

7 or 8 mercantile houses, and a weekly 
newspaper. 

Abbott, population 200, on the Mis- 
souri, Kansas & Texas Railwa}', has 
3 churches, a school, corn mill 
and cotton gin. There are also 5 
mercantile establishments in the 
place. 

Peoria is situated about 6 miles 
west of Hillsboro, and has 300 
inhabitants, a steam grist mill, 
a cotton gin, 5 churches and 2 
schools. 

AquiIvLA and Fort Graham are 
smaller places, having about 200 in- 
habitants each. 

The railway facilities of Hill 
County are exceptionally good, and 
consist of the following operated 
lines: St. Louis & Southwestern 
Railway (Cotton Belt Route), the 



Views 
IS Hillsboro 

1. M E. Church 

South 

2. Court House 




Gulf, Colorado & Santa 
F e Railway which 
crosses the northwest 
corner; the Missouri, 
Kansas & Texas Rail- 
way, main line, which 
crosses the county from 
north to south, and the 
Dallas & Hillsboro 
Branch of the same Rail- 
way, and the Texas Cen- 
tral Railway passing 
through the southwest 
corner. These railways 
have a combined mile- 
age of 102.49 miles, and 
are assessed at $878,180. 

The assessed value 
of all property in the 
county in 1894 is given at $9,793,410, 
showing an increase of $495,980 over 
the rendition of the previous year. Im- 
proved lands are comparatively high in 
price as compared with many other coun- 
ties, but are really cheap considering the 
density of population, the general im- 
provement of the county and the close 
proximity and the easy mode of trans- 
portation to the markets. Good tillable 
lands more or less improved can be had 
at prices ranging from $20 to $50 per 
acre, those valued the highest being of 
course very close to some good town. 
Unimproved lands vary in price from $5 
to $15 per acre. The average taxable 
value of land in the county is $7.68 per 
acre. 

The county maintains 121 school 
houses and gives employment to 112 
teachers; the number of pupils enrolled 
in 1895 was 6,779. This school system 
is separate and distinct from that of the 
incorporated towns and cities. 

Hill County is rather irregular in form. 
Its topographical features can perhaps 
be best described as follows: The gen- 



.» 





eral surface is rolling, much of it prairie, 
with black w-axy soil, producing heavy 
yields of all the grains commonly grown 
in the State, and cotton of superior 
quality. A belt of wood land, about 8 
miles wide, commonly known as the 
lower Cross Timbers runs north and south 
through the western part of the county, 
and this together with the forest growth 
along the streams, constitutes about one- 
third of the area. The remainder is 
rolling or undulating prairie, which has, 
in some portions a black limy soil, in- 
termixed with sand, in others a tena- 
cious stiff waxy land. The soil in the 
timbered uplands, is generally' a loose 
gray loam, and on the Brazos bottoms, 
which skirt the western edge of the 
county, a reddish-brown alluvium. 

The principal water courses are the 
Brazos River, a broad bold stream, flow- 
ing for a distance of 50 miles along the 
west line of the county; Nolan's River, 
swift and shallow, but never failing, and 
White Rock, Richland, Pecan, Aquilla, 
and many smaller streams, which in 
very dry weather occasionally cease to 
flow. All of them afford 
abundant stock water, and 
on the Brazos are several 
water powers, which are 
used to some extent for 
milling purposes. Water 
for domestic purposes is 
obtained from springs, 
wells and cisterns. Tanks 
or small reservoirs are 
much used for watering 
-Stock, where streams are 
not convenient. 

There is no merchant- 
able timber in the county, 
the native growth consist- 
ing principally of post 
oak, hickory, blackjack, 
pecan, elm and hackberry, 



Cotton Co.m press. 



from which fuel and fence posts, etc., 
can be obtained in abundance. 

The general lay of the land is such as 
to admit of the use of improved agricul- 
tural implements, and such are exten- 
sively used. The production, per acre, 
under ordinary favorable conditions, is, 
of cotton, 3^4 to J-3 of a bale; corn, 25 to 
40 bushels; wheat, 10 to 15 bushels; 
oats, 50 to 75 bushels; barley, 40 to 50 
bushels; sorghum, 100 gallons of syrup. 

Peaches, pears, the earlier r 
varieties of apples, plums, 
blackberries, raspberries and 
strawberries, where properly 
cared for, yield fine crops. 
Vegetables of all kinds are 
easily raised, and yield a 
considerable revenue, as con- 
siderable quantities are 
handled commercially. 

The native grasses are the 
sedge, and curly and running 
mesquite grasses, which 
afford a very nutritious and 
continuous pasturage. Form- 
erly stock depended entirely 
on the open range for their 
subsistence, but the rapid 
settlement of the county 
brought about the enclos- 
ing of the pastures and the 
introduction of improved 
breeds. Nowadays great 
numbers of cattle are fed 
for the market, and stock- 
raising has become an important branch 
of ordinary farming operations. 

The number of farms in the county in 
1894 is given at 1,449, and on these 
there were 164,189 acres under actual 
cultivation. The standard field crops 
produced were 39,524 bales of cotton ; 
1,350,795 bushels of corn ; 36,665 bushels 



of wheat; 634,630 bushels of oats; 1,312 
bushels of barley and rye; 5,690 bushels 
of Irish and sweet potatoes ; 95 bushels 
of peas and beans; 3,679 tons of hay; 
140 barrels of sorghum molasses, and 
19,762 tons of cotton seed. The whole crop 
was valued at f 2, 146, 656. There was 
obtained also from 360 acres in peaches, 
$16 790 ; from 22 acres in plums, pears and 
apples, $355; from 33 acres in melons, 
$1,320; from 116 acres in garden, $9,870; 




Bird s-EYE View ok Hillsboro and Surrounding Country. 

17,005 pounds of honey, valued at $1,825. 
The live stock of Hill County consists 
of 22,262 horses and mules, valued at 
$838,210; 26,361 head of cattle, valued 
at $229,800; 144 jacks and jennets, valued 
at $16,380; 2,296 sheep, valued at $2,215; 
28 goats, valued at $25, and 21,131 hogs, 
valued at $47,775. 




Scene in Hill County. 



flDcXennan County, XTcxas. 



THIS county was formed from Ivimestone 
Milam and Navarro Counties, in 1850 
and was organized in the same year. 
It was named in honor of Neil Mc- 
Lennan, an old settler. It is situated 
on both sides of the Brazos River; 
Waco, the county seat, lying on the 
south bank. It is bounded on the north 
by Bosque County, on the south by 
Ralls County, on the west by Bell and 
Coryell, and on the east by Hill and 
Limestone Counties. 

It is traversed by six railways, namely: 
The Cotton Belt," or vSt. Louis South- 
western, which crosses the county from 
northeast to southwest, and passes 
through the cities of Waco and Mc- 
Gregor. The Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe 
crosses the western part from north to 
south. The Missouri, Kansas & Texas 
passes north and south through the 
eastern portion by way of Waco ; the 
Houston & Texas Central also traverses 
the eastern part, reaching Waco. The 
terminus of the Texas Central is also at 
Waco, the line extending northwesterly 
to Albany, in Shackelford County. The 
San Antonio & Aransas Pass Railway 
has its northern terminus at Waco. 
There are in all 156 miles of railway 
in the county, which are assessed at 
$1,286,330. 

The county, which has an area of 
1,083 square miles, is fairly well popu- 
lated, and had in 1890, 39,204 inhabitants ; 
since then the number has greatly 
increased. The assessed value of all 
property in the county in 1894, was 
$20,676,'397, of which ' $1,286,330 was 
chargeable to railways and $1,030,202 
to live stock. The average assessment 
for land in the county is $9.86 per acre. 
Improved lands are held at 'jrices rang- 
ing from $15 to $75 per acre, the 
price being largely governed by the 
(]uality of the land, the improvements 
thereon or surrounding it, and the 
proximity to town. Unimproved lands 
can be had at prices ranging from $5 to 
$25 per acre. The educational facilities 
are ample in the several districts, 
while the school systems of 
the city of Waco and the 
larger towns are as nearly 
perfect as can be 
desired. The 




district schoois mimher 114, and :\vc \n 
charge of 135 teachers. The number of 
pupils enrolled during the year 1894 
was 7,171. The financial condition of 
the county is good. The rate of county 
tax for 1893 was 34 cents on the $100 
valuation. There are in all 11 banks 
in the county, the same having a com- 
bined capital of $1,361,050. 

The number of farms in 1894 was 1,307, 
there being 143,834 acres in cultivation', 
\vhich produced 30,932 bales of cotton, 
891,935 bushels of corn, 58,682 bushels 
of wheat, 395,409 bushels of oats, 1,489 
bushels of barley and rj-e, 8,846 bushels 
of sweet potatoes, 1,630 bushels of Irish 
potatoes, 285 bushels of peas and beans, 
3,990 tons of prairie, cultivated and 
millet hay, 23 barrels of sorghum 
molasses, and 15,466 tons of cotton seed. 
The value of these crops is given at 
$1,835,035. About 700 acres were devoted 
to orchard and garden products, and 
from these a revenue of $23,600 was 
obtained. The live stock of the county 
consists of 23,235 horses and mules, 
valued at $770,978; 26,177 head of cattle, 
valued at $195, 818; 182 jacks and jennets, 
valued at $18,980; 17,196 head of sheep, 
valued at $12,245; 1,074 goats, valued at 
$705. and 15,815 hogs, valued at $31,476. 

McLennan County is sitiiated about in 
the center of the great belt of stiff-black 
or black-waxy lime lands, which extend 
in varying width in a northeastern direc- 
tion from the lower Rio Grande to Red 
River. In its soil and climate it pre- 
sents, in a large mea.sure, the rare com- 
bination of a wheat and cotton producing 
country, being nearly equally well 
adapted to either of these staples. The 
surface is elevated and rolling, two- 
thirds of the area being prairie. Along 
the numerous streams is a more or less 
dense growth of live oak, post oak, 
Spanish oak, black walnut, pecan, cedar, 
elm, hackberry and 





Views in Waco 

1. Cotton Belt Station. 

2. Consumers Oil Co. 

3 Waco Ice & Refhgeratinfir Co. 



133 




cotton wood . 
There are also 
consider a b le 
areas of large 
m e s q u i t e 
trees, ■which 
furnish the 
best of fuel, 
but are also 
valuable for 
fence posts. 
The Brazos 
River liows through the northeastern 
half of the count}- in a southeasterly 
course, and its tributaries, Bosque, and 
South and Middle Bosque Rivers, and 
Aquilla, Hog, Harris, White Rod, Little 
and Big Tehuacana, and Trading House 
Creeks, and many smaller streams are 
very generally and conveniently distrib- 
uted over the whole area, so as to effect 
perfect drainage and to afford water in 
abundance for live stock and for other 
purposes. Unfailing springs of palat- 
able water, all more or less impregnated 
with lime, are found everywhere, and 
wells are obtained at a moderate depth. 
Cisterns are extensively used in man\ 
parts of the county. The mean annual 
rainfall is about 39 inches, the season- 
are generally regular, and damage from 
protracted drouth is of rare occurrence. 

The soil of the greater part of the up- 
land prairies is a black, tenacious, waxy, 
lime land; that of the valle3s, a dark, 
friable loam; of the timbered uplands, a 
light or gray sandy soil, resting on a 
substratum of red clay. The soils of the 
Brazos bottoms are a deep dark or red- 
dish brown alluvium. It is estimated 
that farming lands of superior quality 
comprise four-fifths of the area, and 
that in fair seasons, with proper cultiva- 
tion, a yield, per acre, of cotton, )b to 1 
bale; of corn, 25 to 40 bushels; of wheat, 
12 to 18 bushels; of oats, 45 to 60 
bushels: of barley, 25 to 60 bushels, and 
of hay 2 to 3 tons can be obtained. 
Vegetables grow in the greatest pro- 
fusion under proper cultivation, and 
peaches, plums, pears and grapes are 
extensively and profitably grown. 

The native grasses are luxuriant in 
their growth, and nutritious, but no 
longer afford an open range. Most 
pastures are now under fence, and the 



large herds have given 
place to smaller herds of 
highly improved stock, 
which receive consider- 
able attention, are more 
regularl}' fed, and yield 
l^etter financial results. 
Stock raising now-a-days 
is, in this county, a regular 
branch of husbandr}', and is most 
successfully carried on in connection 
with the farm. 

Game is not abundant, but a few deer, 
turkeys, quail and prairie chickens in 
considerable ntmibers are still found. 
Buffalo, catfish, perch and black bass 
are quite abundant in the larger streams. 
Waco. This beautiful and progressive 
city is situated within 4 miles of the 
geographical center of the State. Its 
altitude is 720 feet above the level of the 
sea. Its site was originally selected by 
the Waco Indians who had quite a well- 
populated village here, until they were 
defeated in a battle with the Cherokees 
(1830), who almost exterminated the 
tribe and utterly destro3'ed the settle- 



^ 


,.. 


"■•" lu. 


1 








* 


._- 






m 






"'2'-' «'"■ ■ • ' 


.., 



ment. from this circumstance the city 
derives its name. A better selection of 
location could not be made to insure 
good health, even temperature, abun- 
dance of good water, and protection 
against destructive winds. 

The geographical location of Waco, 
coupled with the topography of her en- 
vironments and her railroad facilities, 
give her command over a larger and 
richer trade territory than any other in- 
terior city in the State. The territory 
of which she is the natural market af- 
fords a profitable and almost unlimited 
trade, and there are no barriers to its 
extension, as there are no formidable 
competitors to the west and southwest, 
to the east, southeast and south, until 



Vii;ws IN Waco. 

1, Compress. 

2, Cameron Mill & Elevator Co 
^. City Electric Power House. 




she comes 
'in competition with 
the water freight of Gal- 
veston and Houston. 
The trade statistics of 
1894 or 1895 are not avail- 
able, but the reports of 1892 
will give some idea of the 
amount of business transacted 
The sales amounted to $4,500,000 
in groceries and western produce; 
12,400,000 in dry goods, clothing, boots 
and shoes; $5,800,000 in cotton and 
wool; $650,000 in drugs and druggists' 
supplies; $550,000 in hardware and 
barb wire fencing; $375,000 in imple- 
ments, wagons, farm and mill machin- 
ery; $200,000 in furniture and under- 
takers' goods; $400,000 in household 
goods; $450,000 in saddlery, harness and 
carriages; $150,000 in books, stationery, 
commercial printing, etc. ; $450,000 in 
lumber, sash, doors and blinds; $500,000 
in building material, brick, stone and 
lime; $325,000 in wines, liquors, beer 
and cigars; $60,000 in jewelry, silver- 
ware, clocks, etc.; $150 000 in paints, 
oils, wall paper, etc., and $750,000 
in miscellaneous goods not class- 
ified—a total of $17,710,000. Per- 
haps, 20 per cent increase might be 
safely al lowed for 
the business of 1895, - 
for a largely aug- i 

mented population in 
McLennan and Jieigh- 
boring counties must 
be taken in account. 
The grain business 
atWacoisvery large, 
but as the wagon trade 
is taken up by home 
consumption, and 
shipments by dealers 




are made direct from 
railroad stations to 
destination, no accurate 
figures are obtainable. 
The exports of home prod- 
ucts for the year amounted to 45,000 
bales of cotton, local supplv, 65,000 
bales, transfer; 2,500,000 pounds of 
wool; 627,000 pounds of hides and 
peltry; 7,500 head of horses and cattle; 
9,000 head of sheep and hogs, and 
21,000 boxes of fruits, peaches and 
grapes. 

The capital invested in various enter- 
prises in Waco, is given as follows: 
Banks, chartered and private, $1,572,503; 
building and loan associations, $900,000, 
various corporations, $225,000; woolen 
and cotton mills. $400 000; cot- 
ton factory, $100,000; mat- 
tress, batting and excel- 
sior factory, $50,000; 
'* i it ^ _- water, gas and 





electric light works. $225,000; 
roller mills, $175,000; cottonseed 
oil works, $150,000; cotton com- 
presses and elevators, $155,000; 
street railways, $150,000; water 
works, $375,000; other indus- 
tries, $390,000. Total, $4,918,593. 
Waco enjoys most excellent 
railway facilities. The several 
trunk lines passing through or 
entering the city are the St. 
Louis Southwestern (or Cotton 
Belt), the Missouri, Kansas & 



/ Views in Waco. 

1, Central School. 4, Parrott Natatorium 

2, Baylor University. 5. Padgitt Buildini?. 

3, Add Ran University. 6 Fire Department. 



^ff 



Texas, the Houston & Texas Central, the 
Texas Central, and the West Point 
branch of the San Antonio & Aransas 
Pass Railway, which has its terminus in 
this city. 

There are two complete systems of 
water works — one company, The Waco 
Water and Power Company, maintains a 
reservoir of 6,000,000 gallons capacity, 
from which mains traverse the city ; 
the other is the artesian system, or 
Bell Water Company. The source 
of supply is the wonderful series 
of artesian wells, whose initial 
pressure lifts the water into great 
standpipes, 90 feet high, situated ft ^ 
on a hill 80 feet above the public * - ; 
square. Mains and cross-pipes 
lead the water to all parts of the 
city. The use of this water has 
reduced the death rate from 13.02 
to 8.04 per thousand in the city. It 
is a pure freestone water, well suited 
for making steam and for all other pur- 
poses. There are in all 19 of these wells 
in Waco, varying in depth from 1607 feet 
to 1886 feet. The nnnimum temperature 
of the water is 97 degrees Fahrenheit, 
the highest temperature, 104 degrees. 
The smallest flow of any of the wells is 
250,000 gallons, that of the largest well, 
2,000,000 gallons per day. These hot ar- 
tesian waters possess powerful remedial 
properties, as attested by many sufferers 
from iheumatism and other blood dis- 
eases. Several natatoriums and sanita- 
riums have been erected in Waco for the 
purpose of utilizing these waters. They 
are said to be the most complete and 
elegant sanitary institutions in 
the United States. 

The educational facil- ,^*fC^'!!5^ 

ities of Waco are in 
every way excellent, ^ 

and abreast with 
the times. 

The Baylor 
University is 
the largest 
and best 
known insli 
tution in the 



State. It has 
been in success- 
f u 1 operation 
for forty -six 
years and has 
departments of 
literature, art, 







Fourth Strebt. Waco. 

music, theology, oratory and commerce. 
The Waco Female College has a suc- 
cessful history of thirty-five years, is 
popular and prosperous. 

The Catholic Church also conducts a 
large school under the management of 
the Sisters of St. Mary. 

The public school system of the city 
of Waco is under control of the munici- 
pal government. Eleven schools are 
maintained, in which 59 teachers are 
employed. The enrollment of pupils on 
January 1, 1893, numbered 2,731. 

Waco enjoys the conveniences of the 
largest American cities. The streets, 
broad and straight, run at right angles, 
and in the residence portion are lined 
with beautiful shade trees and handsome 
residences. It has churches of all the 
leading religious denominations, seven 
banks, a street railway system, 
^^^ an electric 

-^ light sys- 
?*.,»u^ tem, and 




Provident Building. 




larger and situated in all parts of 

the United States, compiled 

by Bradstreet's for the first 

week in February, 1894, 

embracing cities of 25,000 

to 133.000: 



the numerous 
larger enterprises 
enumerated above. 
There is a fine gov- 
ernmentbuilding for 
the use of the Post 
Office and the Federal 
courts, a City Hall, and 
many elegant business 
structures. The city was 
founded in 1849 and incorporated in 
1856. It is divided by the Brazos River 
which is spanned by a suspension bridge, 
475 feet long. The mercantile establish- 
ments of Waco run into the hundreds. 
Of manufacturing enterprises there are 
some sixty or seventy, and of news- 
papers there are two dailies, one weekly 
and one monthly. 

Waco's Fin.vnxiai, Standing. — The 
weekly, monthly and yearly bank clear- 
ings of W^aco are phenomenal, and we 
know of no other town of its size that 
can show such an array of figures. The 
annual amount of bank clearings for the 
last five years range from $62,000,000 to 
$75,000,000. These large money trans- 
actions are chiefly on account of cotton, 
as will be seen from the following figures, 
representing the bank clearings of the 
four "cotton months," the season in 
which nine-tenths of all the cotton is 
marketed in this State: 

September $ 6,736,092 18 

October 11,248,190 26 

November 9,531,958 81 

December 10,131,295 10 

The following table enables the reader 
to compare the bank clearings of this 
city with those of cities very much 





KliSIDKNCICS AT WaCO. 

Clearings. Pop., 1890 

St. Paul $2,770,696 133,156 

Denver 2,874,751 106,713 

Hartford 2,106,172 53,230 

Richmond 2,700,300 81,388 

St. Joseph 1,663,829 52,324 

Peoria 1,635,593 41,024 

Memphis 1,814,248 64,495 

Portland, Ore. . . . 903,724 46,385 

Rochester 1,585,558 133,896 

New Haven .... 1,700,672 81,298 

Springfield, Mass . 1,155,468 44,179 

Savannah, Ga . . . 1,853,386 43,189 

Worcester 1,104,718 84,655 

Portland, Me. . . . 1.235.995 46,425 

Atlanta 1,169,239 65.533 

Des Moines .... 884.837 50.093 

Grand Rapids . . . 801,096 60.278 

Seattle 508,566 42,837 

Lowell 756.449 77,696 

Norfolk 996,356 34.871 

Tacoma 624,829 36.006 

Salt Lake 1,035,100 44.843 

Jacksonville .... 426,409 17.201 

Lincoln 466.326 55,154 

New Bedford , . . 327,966 40.733 

Birmingham. . . . 287,757 26,178 

Topeka 502,370 31,007 

Texas Towns. Clearine;s. 

Dallas $2,245,759 

1-t. Worth 1,885,240 

Houston 4,991,708 

Calveston 5,520.850 

Waco • ■ • 1,212.678 

Est. 

Pop.. 1890. Pop.. 1894 

Dallas 38,067 40.000 

Ft. Worth 23.076 30.000 

Houston 27.557 45,000 

Galveston 29,084 35.000 

Waco 14,440 20,000 



Residence at Waco. 



Expenses at Waco. — The living ex- 
penses at Waco are very reasonable. 
To give an idea of the general expenses 
of a visitor who may wish to come to 
Waco for treatment and the baths, the 
lowest and highest rates of the probable 
items of the expense are here given : 

Rates per Week. 
Hotel or boarding house . $4 00 to |21 00 
Baths and attendant's fees. 3 00" 5 00 

Physician's fees 3 00" 10 00 

Medicines (if needed) . . 2 00 " 4 00 
Sundries 1 00 " 10 00 



|13 00 to |50 00 

The citizens of Waco are fully alive to 
the importance of making their city a 
commercial center, and the wholesale 
dealers now send their representatives 
all over the State, soliciting trade, and 
they are successful in securing their full 
share of it. 

Waco has large cotton seed oil mills, 
planing mills, cotton mills, cotton com- 
presses, flouring mills, grain elevators, 
and many other industrial enterprises — 
in all, over 50 — which employ about 
3,000 hands and pay more than $30,000 
for labor weekly. The advantages for 
manufacturing at Waco have materially 
improved by the abundant supply of 
artesian water obtained within the last 
three years. 

Waco is the largest interior cotton 
market in Texas, and probably in the 



South. Over 40,000 bales were hauled 
into the city by wagon, and about 80,000 
received by rail from small towns having 
no compresses. 

McGregor is the second largest town 
in McLennan County. It is situated in 
the western part of the county and forms 
the crossing point of the Cotton Belt and 
Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe Railways, 
and has now about 2,000 inhabitants. 
There are in the place some thirty-five 
mercantile establishments, two livery 
stables, four hotels, five restaurants, 
three lumber yards and a national bank. 
Nearly all the business houses are two- 
story brick structures. The Public School 
building is a fine, large two-story brick 
house, erected at a cost of $10,000. The 
town has two large cotton gins, a large 
oil mill of 50-ton capacity, a fine roller 
process flouring mill and elevator, a tan- 
nery, harness and saddle factory, collar 
factory, and a wagon factory. There 
are also eleven artesian wells and an 
adequate system of waterworks, four 
churches, two newspapers in the town. 
The shipments of the place consisted, 
last year, of 12,000 bales of cotton, 140,- 
000 bushels of oats, and some 5,000 head 
of cattle. 

The other principal trading points in 
the county are: Moody, population 432 ; 
Crawford, population 476; Bruce- 
viLLE, population 1236; China 
Springs, population 163, and Ei,m Mott, 
population 247. 




In McLennan Count if. 



Cornell County, XTciae. 



THIS county is situated in the central portion of Texas, lying equi-distant 
between the Brazos and Colorado Rivers, Bosque and Hamilton Counties 
adjoining the county on the north, and Bell County forming the southern 
boundary. Gatesville, the present terminus of the main line of the St. Louis South- 
western Railway (Cotton Belt Route), is 304 miles from Texarkana, and 46 miles 
from Waco. 

About two-thirds of the area of 900 square miles is high rolliii^ prairie, through 
which flow a number of streams; the broad valleys, which are covered with timber, 
are skirted by gently sloping hills. The timber consists mainly of pecan, post oak, 
walnut, cedar and Cottonwood, and is generally small and scrul)l)y, except along 
the Leon River, where the growth is large and luxuriant. The Leon River flows 
through nearly the center of the county in a southeasterly course; Cowhouse 
Creek through the western part, and Middle Bosque through the eastern portion, 
and with their many tributaries furnish an abundant and convenient supply of 
water for all purposes. The Leon River is a broad, bold stream, running at all 
seasons, over a solid bed of limestone rock. Springs are numerous in many parts 
of the county, and good water is also obtained from wells of moderate depth. 
Artesian wells are very numerous in the county, the majority of them being from 
150 to 200 feet deep. In the city of Gatesville is one supplying the town with 
water, which has a depth of 700 feet and flows 150,000 gallons of very pure water 
per day. Another well has a flow of 200,000 gallons per diem. In addition to 
these there are some 12 to 15 wells owned by private individuals, 
with an average depth of 500 feet, all of them with copious dis- 
charges. The annual rainfall is 33 inches, usually so distributed 
throughout the year as to insure a fair uniformity of crops. 

Stock raising as a distinct business is carried on extensively, 
but agricultural pursuits are mostly engaged 
in by the inhabitants. Nearly one-half of 
the entire area is good farming land, the 
broad valleys of the streams named possess- 
ing a dark, rich loam, easy of cultivation. 
riie rolling prairies generally are composed 
of a stiff, fertile soil. The average yield of 
i1ie best lands per acre is, of cotton, one-half 
bale; of corn, 25 






of which 
fruits and 



to 30 bushels; of wheat, 10 to 
12 bushels: of oats, 50 bushels: 
of rye, 10 bushels; of barley, 
40 bushels ; of sorghum syrup, 
100 gallons ; of Irish potatoes, 
75 bushels ; of sweet potatoes, 
200 bushels, and of millet, 
2 tons. 

There are 2,774 farms in 
Coryell County, having 103,- 
581 acres under cultivation, 
2,837 acres were devoted to 
garden vegetables, consisting of peaches, 
pears, plums, melons, and commercial 
truck, valued at ^^18,950. The values 
obtained from all agricultural and horti- 
cultural sources during the N-ear 1S94 
amount to $1,250,700. The conmion field 
crops obtained consisted of 27,009 bales of 
cotton, 996,500 bushels of corn, 9,280 
bushels of wheat, 258,400 bushels of oats, 
10,300 bushels of sweet potatoes, 5,500 
bushels of Irish potatoes, 500 tons of millet, 120 tons 
of broom corn, 23,250 pounds of honey, and several 
thousand tons of cotton seed. 



Views 
IN Gatesville. 

College. 

Scene near Gates- 
ville. 
1st National Bank. 
State Reformatory. 
Prize Cattle. 




Most of the live stock is raised on the 
open range, the grasses being abundant 
and curing well on the ground during 
the winter months. Some of the fancy 
butcher's stock is especially fed for the 
market, but the greater number of beef 
cattle are shipped directly from the 
ranges. Wool growing is an important 
industry. Sheep thrive on the native 
grasses and increase rapidly. The num- 
ber of live stock in the county in 1894 
was assessed as follows : Horses and 
mules 15,425, valued at $438,850; cattle 
26,180, valued at $144,860; jacks and 
jennets 90. valued at flO.OlO; sheep 
57,170, valued at $57,170; goats 222, 
valued at $90; hogs 8,144, valued at 
$14,510. 

Coryell County was organized in 1854, 
and according to the census of 1890 had 
a population of 16,873. Since then there 
has in all probability been an increase 
of fully one-third of this number, if not 
more. The people are wide-awake and 
energetic. The assessed value of tax- 
able property in 1894, amounted to 
$5,146,615, an increase of $163,235 over 
the values of the preceding year. The 
school population numbers 4,096 pupils, 
who are educated in 88 schools, taught 
by an equal number of teachers. Im- 
proved lands range in price from $5 to 
$30 per acre. Unimproved lands can be 
had at $3 to $10 per acre, the prices 
varying with location and quality. 

The railway facilities of the county 
consist of the St. Louis Southwestern 
Railway, which has its terminus at 
Gatesville, the county seat, and the Gulf, 
Colorado & Santa Fe Railway, which 
crosses the south corner. The mileage 
of the two railways is 32.9 miles, 
assessed at $321,000. 

Gatesville, the county seat, has 3,000 
inhabitants. It is beautifully located in 
the valley of the Leon River, and is 
surrounded by a hilly country in which 
there are situated numerous well tilled 
farms. Gatesville is an old town for 
this section of the State, which for many 
years was nearly the frontier. Until 
completion of the several railways, much 
of the count}' west of the Leon was in 
undisputed possession of the Comanche 
and other Indians. The town was county 
seat as early as 1854, though for a num- 
ber of years it was only a small frontier 
village. The Cotton Belt Route reached 



the town in 1882. It has now about 
50 mercantile establishments of various 
kinds, including two national banks, 
three lumber yards, three weekly news- 
papers and two religious monthly jour- 
nals. There are in the town seven 
neatly built churches, and a large public 
school with some 300 pupils. The in- 
dustrial enterprises consist of a fine 
flouring and corn mill, capable of turn- 
ing out 60 barrels of flour per day, two 
good cotton gins in town and a dozen 
more within a radius of ten miles, a 
large cotton compress, and a planing mill 
and general wood-working plant. The 
exports of Gatesville are, cattle, sheep, 
hogs, wool, hides and cotton. About 3 
miles north of Gatesville is the State 
-Reformatory for youthful offenders. In- 
corrigible boys under the age of 16 are 
sent here, are educated by the State and 
are taught some useful trade. The 
place has some 200 inmates, who are 
kept busy, when not otherwise employed, 
in operating a 700 acre farm owned by 
the State. 

There are quite a number of small 
trading towns in the county. 

Coperas Cove is 26 miles south of 
Gatesville, on the Gulf, Colorado & 
Santa Fe Railway. It has 200 inhabit- 
ants, 3 churches, a grist mill, two cot- 
ton gins and some 6 or 7 general stores. 

Coryell is 12 miles northeast of Gates- 
ville, has 150 inhabitants, 2 churches, 2 
hotels and 4 general stores. 

Eagle Springs, 18 miles southeast of 
Gatesville, has a population of 100, a 
corn mill, and cotton gin, and one gen- 
eral store. 

Evant is 25 miles west of Gatesville, 
has 120 inhabitants, 2 grist mills and 
cotton gins, 3 general stores and one 
hotel. 

The Qrove is 19 miles southeast of 
Gatesville, and 7 miles south of Leon 
Junction. It has a steam flouring mill, 
3 cotton gins, and 4 general stores; pop- 
ulation 300. 

Jonesboro is 18 miles northwest of 
Gatesville, has 700 inhabitants, 3 
churches, one district school, 2 steam 
grist mills and cotton gins, and 6 mer- 
cantile establishments. 

Turnerville is 14 miles north of Gates- 
ville, has 2 churches, a school, steam 
grist mill, a cotton gin, chair factory, 4 
general stores, and 250 inhabitants 




IloKsi-: Ranch, Corvei.i. Countv. 



I 



Xlbc IFnteniattonal S. (3rcat IFlortbern 1Railroa^. 



THE following pages are devoted to a condensed description of 
the counties, towns and cities located on the line of the 
International & Great Northern Railroad. 
by illustrations, an idea of the general appearance of the 
])oints of interest on the road. The counties described 
are Gregg, Rusk, Wood, Smith, Cherokee, Anderson, 
Houston, Trinitjs Walker, Montgomer^s Harris, Gal- 
veston, Fort Bend, Brazoria, Leon, Robertson, Milam, 
Williamson, Travis, Hays, Comal, Bexar, Medina, Atas 
cosa, Frio, La Salle and Webb. 

It has not been the intention to enter into an 
exhaustive description of the advantages of Texas, 
but only to present the pure facts as briefl}^ and pre- 
cisely as possible, leaving it for every thinking man 
to find out whether or not his condition could be im- 
proved by coming to Texas. 

For your information we give a 
map herewith of the various counties 
the line of this road, also a condensed 
map of the road, showing its con- ^• 



The}^ give, 



I W D I 

mineola: 
'loKg-" 

^YLER'^ VlEWi 

\S M I 
Overt! 

T\ 

iR U 



[PALESTINE 



skeleton 



y 



I'.lewf'tt 
N 
iMarqiicz 



SKETT,^ 

jetaay ( 



/> 



nections. 

The Interna 
TioNAL & Great 
Northern Rail- / 
ROAD is the thor- 
oughfare from 
the Southeast, A\., 
Northeast and j 
North to Hous- .%"« 



' , Jin — — .V 



3caV 
Cause 



CROCKETT, 

KO uiIston/ 

TRINITY / 
Trinity ' 



N M 5 



\rRouml' 






/ 



l- 



ton and Gal- / '^^ 
veston, ^/ji£^ X\/ 



and the only 

line from the 

North and North - 

y east to Austin, San 

jiua>^ /' Antonio and Laredo 

SN<'* Its northern terminus i: 




/ at Longview, and from 
there it runs almost due >^, 
south 282 miles to the Gulf 
of Mexico at Galveston. 
From Palestine the line diverges 
to the southwest, 415 miles, to 
y Laredo, on the border of the 
Republic of Mexico, where it makes 
, connection for all Mexican points. 
\ This line is the short line from a 
) points in the United States to the City of Mexico. 
.At Palestine, the junction of the two lines of the 
Ix"i^RNATiONAL & Great NORTHERN RAILROAD, are located 
the headquarters and shops of the Company. 

The line from Palestine to Galveston passes through the 

richest timber portion of Texas, and, between Houston and 

Galveston, traverses the great Gulf Coast Fruit Belt, which is 

j becoming so well and favorably known for the early date at 




141 



which the products can be marketed ; particularly is this the case with 
strawberries and garden products. 

The line branching southwest from Palestine passes through the 
wonderfully rich agricultural country and stock-raising district to Austin, 
the State Capital, thence continuing its way through fine farming lands 
to San Antonio, so historically renowned for the defense of the Alamo, 
as being the nursery of Texas freedom, and now, one of the most 
important cities of Texas and the Southwest. 

From San Antonio to Laredo the line passes through a country 
devoted largely to stock raising, the range feed being excellent all 
winter, and stock requiring little or no care. 

With this brief explanation, and with the views shown in the 
following pages, a fair idea can be formed of what has already been 
accomplished in Texas; but if you want to see it for yourself, remember 
that the International Route (I. «& G. N. R. R.) reaches the best 
portion of the State, and see that your ticket reads accordingly. 

The impression has gone abroad that Texas is hot and dry, but a 
reference to the table of temperatures and rainfall here given, will serve 
to dispel this illusion. 

Table of Mean Temperatures and Annual Rainfall Along I. & G. N. R. R. 





& 

us 

3 

n 
m 


u 

3 
u 


o 


p. 
< 




a 

3 

1-1 


>, 

3 
1-1 


3 
< 


<u 

a 

V 

p. 
<u 


)-< 

V 

o 
u 
O 


<u 

> 



Xi 
B 
S 
u 

V 

0. 


CO 

3 
fl 
3 
< 


3 



Austin, 
Travis Co . . . 


Mean Temp. 
Inches Rain. 


48.6 
2.15 


54.3 
2,65 


60.8 
2,52 


68.0 
2.90 


74.6 
4.08 


81.0 
2.65 


83.9 
2.15 


83.7 
2.63 


77.6 
4.37 


67.7 
2.90 


57.5 
2.77 


51.1 
2.U 


67.4 
33.88 


38 


Columbia, 
Brazoria Co . . 


Mean Temp. 
Inches Rain. 


59.1 
7.62 


59.8 
3.14 


60.6 
3.80 


71.2 
2.26 


75.2 
4.22 


80.2 
4.58 


82.5 
3.33 


82.5 
3.09 


77.7 
8.18 


69.1 
2.00 


59.6 
4.44 


62.0 
0.28 


70.0 
46.94 


8 


Duval, 
Travis Co . . . 


Mean Temp. 
Inches Rain. 


58.7 
3.98 


60.6 
1.92 


63.0 
0.55 


61.7 
5.08 


75.8 
3.70 


80.9 
5.82 


86.6 
0.87 


85.1 
1.50 


74.8 
4.02 


70.0 
0.68 


67.0 
3.35 


60.0 
0.30 


69.5 
31.77 


3 


Laredo, 
(Ft. Mcintosh) 
Webb Co . . . 


Mean Temp. 
Inches Rain. 


54.2 
0.71 


61.0 

1.30 


68.4 
0.93 


75.8 
1.16 


81.6 
2.15 


85.3 
2.61 


87.3 
1.87 


87.0 
2.64 


81.6 
2.84 


73.3 
1.48 


62.6 
0.83 


56.4 
1.06 


72.9 
19.58 


30 


Galveston, 
Galveston Co . 


Mean Temp. 
Inches Rain. 


52.5 
3.94 


57.3 
2.94 


632 
3.32 


69.4 
3.50 


76.0 
4.20 


82.0 
4.96 


84.2 
.3.05 


83.6 
5.41 


79.5 
7.24 


72.2 
4.82 


62.2 
4.39 


56.4 
4.56 


69.9 
52.33 


27 


Hearne, 
Robertson Co . 


Mean Temp. 
Inches Rain. 


56.6 
2.00 


56.8 
3.35 


58.5 
1.88 


66.2 
4.92 


74.1 
4.82 


80.2 
2.95 


83.3 
1.45 


82.4 
1.60 


76.6 
3.98 


68.3 
2.52 


54.6 
4.22 


61.4 
0.00 


68.3 
33.69 


10 


Houston, 
Harris Co . . . 


Mean Temp. 
Inches Rain. 


54.1 
7.46 


58.3 
3.46 


63.6 
3.94 


70.4 
4.73 


75.8 
7.96 


81.0 
7.43 


83.2 
2.46 


82.8 
3.84 


78.0 
5.84 


69.7 
3.61 


60.9 
3.22 


56.5 
0.99 


69.5 
54.94 


20 


HUNTSVILLE, 

Walker Co . . . 


Mean Temp. 
Inches Rain. 


50.1 
5.62 


52.4 
2.53 


58.1 
3.71 


69.0 
3.88 


74.4 
4.49 


80.5 
3.66 


84.3 
2.08 


83.6 76.4 
1.96 3.34 


69.6 
2.63 


57.1 
3.20 


59.4 
2.38 


67.9 
39.48 


10 


LONGVIEVV, 

Webb Co . . . 


Mean Temp. 
Inches Rain. 


51.1 
6.07 


53.2 
8.40 


59.4 
3.66 


70.5 
3.73 


75.4 
3.37 


82.5 
4.30 


84.7 
1.87 


84.9 
0.92 


79.6 
3.31 


71.9 
3.75 


57.6 
6.67 


53.0 
2.18 


68.6 
48.23 


10 


New Braunfels, 
Comal Co. . . . 


Mean Temp. 
Inches Rain. 


49.5 
2.13 


55.7 
2.33 


62.0 
1.43 


68.8 
3.01 


75.7 
4.07 


82.4 
3.31 


85.0 
2.08 


86.0 

2.55 


78.6 
4.87 


69.1 
2.77 


58.1 
2.00 


52.6 
1.14 


68.6 
31.69 


10 


Palestine, 
Anderson Co . 


Mean Temp. 
Inches Rain. 


45.5 
4.09 


52.9 
3.52 


58.2 
3.91 


66.4 
4.60 


71.6 
6.16 


78.0 
3.64 


81.7 
2.81 


80.6 
2.41 


74.8 
3.40 


66.6 

3.84 


56.9 
4.28 


50.6 
3.91 


65.3 
46.57 


12 


Round Rock, 
Williamson Co. 


Mean Temp. 
Inches Rain. 


58.0 
2.70 


58.4 
1.90 


61.7 
0.70 


68.5 
4.60 


74.5 
1.26 


80.5 
2.92 


86.8 
0.42 


85.2 
1.16 


75.6 
4.91 


69.5 
2.05 


56.7 
4.42 


61.2 
0.85 


69.7 
27.89 


3 


San Antonio, 
Bexar Co . . . 


Mean Temp. 
Inches Rain. 


50.4 
1.61 


56.9 
2.42 


62.9 
2.14 


69.6 
2.67 


76.0 
3.02 


81.1 
3.23 


83.7 
2.37 


83.5 
3.40 


78.5 
4.06 


70.9 
2.01 


59.6 
2.55 


53.0 
1.97 


68.8 
31.45 


28 


Tylkr, 
Smith Co . . . 


Mean Temp. 
Inches Rain. 


49.0 
6.92 


57.8 
1.30 


58.0 
0.00 


67.1 
4.07 


73.3 
4.77 


80.2 
4.61 


83.5 
3.17 


81.5 
4.16 


75.4 
3.10 


68.3 
2.38 


54.6 
6.40 


55.0 
0.38 


67.8 
41.26 


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A/ean Annual Temperature 

and Average Annual Rainfall at 

United States and State Signal 

^ Stations fblacb face letters J on 

I. & Q. N. R. R. 



^ 



Any further information desired about the country on the line of 
this road will be sent on application to D. J. Price, Assistant General 
Passenger Agent, Palestine, Texas; J. E. Galbraith, General Freight 
and Passenger Agent, or any ticket agent of the road. 




AND CONNECTIONS. 



144 



LIST OF OFFICERS, 1. & G. N. R. R. 



Geo. J. Gould, President, New York City. 

S. H. H. Clark, 1st Vice-President, Omaha, Neb. 

T. M. Campbell, General Manager, Palestine, Texas. 

E. E. Calvin, General Superintendent, Palestine, Texas. 

J. E. Galbraith, Gen. F'reight and Pass. Agent, Palestine, Texas. 

W. E. Maury, Auditor, Palestine, Texas. 

A. R. Howard, Secretary and Treasurer, Palestine, Texas. 

H. B. Henson, Assistant Secretary and Treasurer, New York City. 

A. G. Cochran, General Solicitor, St. Louis, Mo. 

Jno. M. Duncan, General Attorney, Tyler, Texas. 

H. B. Kane, 2d Vice-Pres. and Gen. Claim Agent, Palestine, Texas. 

D. J. Price, Assistant General Passenger Agent, Palestine, Texas. 

F. O. Becker, Assistant General Freight Agent, Galveston, Texas. 
W. J. Taylor, General Baggage Agent, Palestine, Texas. 

J. S. O'Flynn, Freight Claim Agent, Palestine, Texas. 

E. C. Manson, Superintendent of Car Service, Palestine, Texas. 

A. E. Bowers, Superintendent Bridges and Buildings, Palestine, Texas. 

F. HuFSMiTH, Master Mechanic, Palestine, Texas. 

J. D. Trammell, Resident Engineer, Palestine, Texas. 

W. E. Williams, Purchasing Agent and Storekeeper, Palestine, Texas. 

Dr. W. G. Jameson, Chief Surgeon, Palestine, Texas. 

E. N. Andrews, Commercial Agent, New York City. 



FOR FULL INFORMATION REGARDING RATES, ROUTES 
ETC., ADDRESS 

G. D. Hunter, P. &T. A., 911 Franklin Ave., Houston, Tex. 
J. B. Morrow, City Passenger Agent, Galveston, Texas. 
W. C. RiGSBY, City Ticket Agent, San Antonio, Texas. 
C. M. Stone, Depot Ticket Agent, San Antonio, Texas. 
P. J. Lawless, Ticket Agent, Austin, Texas. 

Or any Agent of the I. & G. N. R. R. 

J. E. GALBRAITH, D. J. PRICE, 

G. F. & P. A., Palestine, Texas. A. G. P. A., Palestine, Texas. 



145 



T 



(5rc9G County, TLcxae. 

HE northern terminus of the International & Great 
Northern Railroad is at Longview, the county 
seat of G r e g g ^ 




Pretty Homes, Longview. 




County ; and from this 
point the road proceeds 
south and southwest to 
Galveston, the great 
southern exporting sea- 
port on the Gulf of 
Mexico ; and to Laredo 
on the border of Mexico. 
The county has an area 
of 260 square miles, of 
which about one-half is 
in cultivation. It is well 
timbered, mostly with 
oak, hickory and pine. 
The water supply is 

abundant from the Sabine River and its tributaries. 
It has a population of 10,000. The surface is undu- 
lating, with rich valleys along the streams; the up- 
lands being of a light sandy soil ; the bottom lands 
sandy loam. 

The principal farm products of the county are 
cotton, corn, oats, potatoes and sugarcane; cotton, 
however, is 70 per cent of the entire product. The 
mineral products are iron in sandstone ore, con- 
glomerate ore, and native nodules in small quantities. 
Lignite brown coal is r - - 

found in many sec- 
tions, but so far not 
in paying quantities ; 
brown and yellow 
sandstone, excellent 
for building pur- 
poses, is quarried 
soft, but soon hard- 
ens on exposure. 
Considerable lum- 
ber is manufactured, 
and stock raising is 
successful. The 
land is especially 
adapted to the pro- 
duction of peaches, 
apples, pears, plums, 

figs and grapes. Improved lands bring $5 to $12 per acre, and unimproved from 
$1 to $5 per acre. The average tax value of land is $3.19 per acre. Assessed value 
of property in 1894, |1, 545, 455. Mortgages on record, |4,576. Improved farms, 
728, 561 of which are rented. Average farm wages, $9.03 per month. Assessed 
value of farm implements, $15,360. In 1894 there were 366 acres in peaches, 225 
acres in apples, 142 acres in plums, 64 acres in pears, 113 acres in melons, and 319 
acres in gardens. There were 2,084 horses and mules, 4,983 cattle, 495 sheep, 375 
goats, 6,744 hogs, and 346 stands of bees. The rate of county taxation is 51)o cents 
per $100. 

Bu.siNKSS — 1 National Bank with a capital of $50,000, 43 mercantile establish- 
ments, 10 saw mills and 1 ice factory in the county. 

Churches — The Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Catholic, Cumberland Presby- 
terian, and Christian denominations are represented by churches. 

SCHOOi<S — There are 36 school houses, with a school population of 2,227, 




>uRT House, Longview 



XTowns in Gvcqq County. 

Longview is the county seat of Gregg 
County and has a population of 4,000, 
and is the terminus of the International 
& Great Northern Railroad, and the 
junction point of that road with the 
Texas & Pacific Railway. It is a thriv- 
ing manufacturing center, with 1 plow 
factory, 1 saw mill, 1 ice factory, 2 bot- 
tling works, 1 mattress factory, 1 broom 
factory, 1 steam laundry, electric light 
plant, 1 oil mill, 1 cotton compress, and 
a foundry and machine shops. The 
Court House of Gregg County, located 
here, is a commodious and substantial 
brick striicture. The water supply is 
plentiful; and fuel brings — wood, f2.50 
per cord; coal, $7.50 per ton; lumber is 
very cheap, selling at $7 per thousand. 
There are 2 Baptist churches, 2 Methodist 
churches, 1 Presbyterian, 1 Cumberland 
Presbyterian, 1 Christian, 1 Catholic; 
also 1 Colored Baptist and 1 American 
Methodist Episcopal — all sulxstantial 
buildings, with good congregations. 
There are 3 public and 4 private 
schools for white children, and 1 pub- 



lic and 1 private school for colored 
children. 

Ivongview is destined to I)e quite a 
railroad center at no distant day. It is on 
the direct line of the extension of the road 
running from Denver and Fort Worth, 
to Sabine Pass, and it already has a line 
reaching a considerable distance south- 
eastward toward Sabine Pass., The work 
being done at Sabine Pass will make it 
one of the principal ports of entry on 
the Gulf, and with the Denver road 
extended there it will make Longview, 
with its already excellent railroad con- 
nections, a point of importance. 

Kiigore has a population of 400. The 
principal occupation of the residents is 
farming. The water supply is abundant 
and of good quality. Fuel is cheap, 
wood being f 1.75 per cord. The aver- 
age price of lumber is $10 per thousand. 
The religious denominations represented 
by churches are Baptist, Presbyterian 
and Methodist, 1 church each for white 
people ; and the Baptist and Methodist 
1 church each for colored people. There 
is 1 school for white children, and 1 for 
colored children. 







'i^jrl^^ 




Cotton, Corn, D.^rs, near Longview. 



IRusn County, XTcras. 



T' 




'HE main line of the International & 
Great Northern Railroad passes 
through Rusk County, and it 
also has a branch, the Henderson & 
Overton Railroad, extending from 
Overton to Henderson. The pop- 
ulation is 20,000. The area of 
the county is 917 square miles, 
17 per cent of which is in cul- 
tivation. It is well timbered 
with oak, hickory, pine, elm 
and willow; one-fourth of the' 
timber being suitable for man- 
ufacturing into lumber. The 
water supply from the Sabine and^ 
Angelina Rivers and tributaries is 
ample. The soil on the ridges 
sandy, and the hillsides loam sand; in the valleys 
loam and silt, and very fertile. Iron, sandstone ores, 
and conglomerate, with occasional nodules of native 
iron are found. Fine white glass sand is abundant, but 
requires washing. Lignite coal is found, ^_ 
but not yet in paying quantities. Green 
marl, red and yellow sandstone and 
limestone are found in abundant quan- 
tities. Improved lands are worth from 
$3 to $15 per acre, and unimproved from 
fl to $4 per acre. The assessed value 
of property in 1894, $3,025,795. The 
county tax rate is 42^2 cents on the $100. 
Ten mortgages are on record, amounting 
to $18,742; 2,520 farms, 1,280 of them 

being occupied by renters; 323 farm laborers, receiving average wages of $10 
per month; 1,275 acres of land are in peaches, 640 acres in apples, 87 acres in 
plums, 40 acres in pears, 325 acres in melons, and 505 acres in gardens. 
There are 7,188 mules, 16,750 cattle, 3,107 sheep, 1,618 goats, and 20,026 hogs. 
The principal industries are farming, stock raising and lumber manufactur- 
ing. The farm products consist of cotton, corn, oats, sweet potatoes, peas, 
beans and sugar cane, 70 per cent of the production is cotton. 

BusiNJvSS — There is 1 private bank, capital stock $50,000, 72 mercantile establish- 
ments and 21 saw mills. 

Churches — The Baptists, Methodists, Christians and Catholics all have churches. 

Schools — The county has 102 school houses, 104 teachers, and 4,692 scholars. 



Uowns in IRusf? County on tbe IF, S. (5. IR. 1R. 1R. 



Overton, population 400, principally occupied in farming, fruit culture and dairy 
farming. Has an abundant supply of freestone water. Building materials are cheap, 
wood selling at $1.25 to $2 per cord; lumber at $8 per thousand. There are 3 
churches, 2 Methodist and Baptist; and 1 school. 

Henderson, population 2,000, principally engaged in farming, stock raising 
and fruit culture. There is 1 pottery, 1 ice factory and 1 broom factory located at 
this point. The water supply is freestone and abundant. Price of fuel $1.75 to 
$2 per cord; lumber, $8 per thousand. 

Henderson is the county seat of Rusk County, and the court house is located 
here. There are Baptist, Methodist and Presbyterian churches; 2 public schools, 
1 college, and 1 private school. 



Views in Hknderson.— 1, Normal School. 2, Public School. 3 and 4, Residences. 



I 



XlGloo^ County, '^Teiae, 



WOOD COUNTY is in the north- 
eastern part of the State, and is 
separated from Smith Connty, 
adjoining it on the south, by the Sabine 
River. The area of the county is 702 
square miles. It was organized in 1850. 
Mineola, the largest town and shipping 
point in the county, is on the Texas & 
Pacific Railway, 80 miles east of Dal- 
las, and is also the terminus of the Tyler 
& Mineola Branch of the International 
& Great Northern Railroad. 

The county is heavily wooded and gen- 
erally level. Except where the land has 
been cleared for cultivation, the entire 
area is covered with a heavy growth of 
timber, consisting of several varieties of 
oak, hickory, walnut, mulberry and pine. 
The pineries, extending over the east half 
of the county, furnish large supplies of 
lumber of superior quality, and main- 
tain a considerable number of sawmills. 

The Sabine River, Caney, Lake Fork, 
Big Sandy, Glade, Pattons and Stout 
Creeks afford running water in abun- 
dance to all parts of the county. Water 
in ample supply and of good quality, is 
obtained from springs and wells. 

The annual rainfall is above 45 inches, 
and is usually so well distributed as to 
insure a reasonable certainty of making 
good crops. Nearly the entire area is 
arable and available for most varieties of 
standard crops. The prevailing soils are 
red and chocolate -colored loams, some 
smaller areas consisting of stiff tenacious 
soil. These occur on flat surfaces, and 
require some drainage preparatory to 
cultivation. Most of the soils of the 
county are fairly productive, and yield 
one year with another from J3 to ^^4 loales 
of cotton ; 20 to 25 bushels of corn ; 10 
to 16 bushels of wheat; 35 bushels of 
oats; 18 bushels of rye, and 16 bushels 
of barley to the acre. Sweet potatoes 
yield about 200 bushels. Peas, peanuts, 
millet, etc., yield abundantly, and the 
same may be said of vegetables of all 
kinds. The soils seem to be very well 
adapted to fruits, and few localities can 
excel in quality the peaches, early 
apples, pears, plums, figs, grapes, etc., 
grown here. Wild fruits like grapes, 
dewberries, blackberries, etc., are quite 
abundant in the forests. The county 
has an unusually good mast from year to 
year. 

Owing to the density of the forests, 
the open pasturage is not as good as in 
some other counties, and during the 
winter months cattle and other live stock 



need more or less feeding, an exception 
being made as to hogs, which find a 
most abundant mast in the forests. The 
climate and temperature as a rule are 
pleasant and agreeable, being about the 
same as in all the counties lying between 
the Trinity and Sabine Rivers. 

The railway mileage in the county is 
49.33 miles— the Texas & Pacific Rail- 
way, which crosses the lower part of the 
county, the Missouri, Kansas & Texas 
Railway, the Sherman, Shreveport & 
Southern Railway, and the International 
& Great Northern Railway. 

Mineola is a flourishing town, situated 
at the junction of the Texas & Pacific, 
International & Great Northern, and 
Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railways, 
having a population of 2,071. It con- 
tains a bank, 5 or 6 churches, a high 
school, a number of substantial business 
blocks, a cannery, a weekly newspaper, 
a furniture factory, and several good 
hotels. Quitman, tlie county seat, has 
307 inhabitants; Winnsborough, 388, 
and Hawkins, 227. Chalybeate Springs, 
on the East Line & Red River Railway, 
are a noted health resort, famous for the 
curative properties of their waters in 
various chronic ailments. The assessed 
values of taxable property for 1894 are 
given at $2,698,190. The school census 
gives 3,370 children of scholastic age, 
and 61 school houses; 69 teachers are 
emplo)'ed. The number of farms in the 
county is officially reported for 1894 at 
1,375, comprising 43,855 acres. The 
yield of the farms for 1894 was reported 
to be 10,351 bales of cotton, 369,193 
bushels of 'Corn, 51,780 bushels of oats 
and wheat, 28,599 bushels of sweet 
potatoes, 35,800 gallons of molasses and 
syrup, and 5,176 tons of cotton seed, the 
whole valued at $546,143. The value of 
the orchard and garden products is 
about $35,000. 

The live stock interest is valued at 
$286,406, and consists of 4,877 horses 
and mules; 11,921 cattle; 1,632 sheep; 
605 goats, and 17,444 hogs. 

The industrial pursuits of the county 
run mainly in the manufacture of lum- 
ber, railroad ties, etc., there being about 
17 saw mills at work. The other enter- 
prises are 1 bank, 81 mercantile houses, 
1 flour mill, 2 fire-brick and tile fac- 
tories, 1 cannery and furniture factory, 
and the repair shops of the railways at 
Mineola. Improved lands can be had at 
prices ranging from $5 to $25 per acre ; 
unimproved, from $2 to $10 per acre. 



Sniitb Counti?, TLcxae. 




'HIS county is situated in Northeastern Texas, 
being the third county west of the Louisiana 
State Line, the Sabine River is the northern 
boundary of the county. Part 
of the west boundary is formed 
by the Neches River, which 
separates it from Van Zandt 
and Henderson Counties. It 
was formerly part of Nacog- 
doches County and was organ- 
ized in 1846. 

It is a wealthy and populous 
county , numbering about 
35,000 inhabitants. 

The railway mileage in the 
county is 86.20 miles, valued at $755,019. The main line of the St. Louis, South- 
western or Cotton Belt Route, enters the county near Big Sandy, passes through 
Tyler, the county seat, to Corsicana, Waco and Gatesville, forming a junction with 
a branch line extending to Rusk and Lufkin. The International & Great Northern 
Railway crosses the southeast corner of the county, forming a 
junction at Troupe, with the Mineola Branch of the same line. 
The assessed values in the county for 1894 amounted to 
$5,991,813, of which |755,019 were charged against railways 
and 1433,100 against live stock. 

Much can be truthfully said of the county's resources, 
which are capable of great development in agri- 
cultural, horticultural and industrial lines. As 
in all counties in this section of the State, cotton 
and corn are the leading agri- ___ _. _ 





cultural products, 
though consider- 
able quantities of oats, 
potatoes, sorghum, vege- 
tables, etc., are grown. 
The acreage in standard 
crops in 1894 amounted to 
112,839 acres divided among 1,682 farms, to which should be added 2,169 acres, 
planted in orchard and garden. The standard crops grown consisted of 16.770 bales 
of cotton, 576,720 bushels of corn, 3,140 bushels of wheat, 75,808 bushels of oats, 
45,900 bushels of sweet potatoes, 3,947 bushels of Irish potatoes, 6,295 bushels of 
peas and beans, 639 barrels of sugar, 264 tons of sorghum cane, and 8,385 tons of 



Views in Tyler.— 1, Post Office. 2, Court House Square. 3, Residence Senator Horace Chilton. 
4, Residence Judge Jno. M. Duncan. 5, Residence H. H. Rowland. 6. Residence I. H. Rrown. 
7, Residence R. W. Rowland. 




cotton seed. These crops, together with $57,220, the value 
of the fruit and vegetable crops, were valued at $1,073,201. 
23,555 pounds of honey were also produced, which- were 
valued at $2,355. 

Within the last few years much attention has been 
given to commercial fruit growing, and fine orchards 
are numerous. A business of considerable extent is done 
in the shipping of early fruits to Northern markets. The 
exports for 1895 are reported as from Tyler, 
the county seat, 100,000 packages by express 
and 50,000 by freight; from Fruitland, 70 
carloads, and from Lindale 30,000 packages. 
Large quantities were also ship])ed from 
Troupe, Winona, Bullard, Swan, and other 
points in the count}-. The canning of fruits 
has also become an important industry, 
there being now seven canneries in the 
county. Strawberries, peaches, apples and 
plums constitute the principal fruit exports, 
which find a readj^ market in St. Louis, 
Kansas City, Chicago, Denver, Omaha, 
Milwaukee, Des Moines and other large 
cities. In connection with the fruit shipments, large consignments are also made 
of early tomatoes, early cabbage, English peas, snap beans, and other vegetables. 
The mineral resources of Smith County consist of valuable iron ores, classed as 
brown hematites, several salines, and a variety of potter's clays. 

The sedge grass is the principal native variety and affords some pasturage during 
the svimmer months. Bermuda grass has been introduced in many parts of the 
county, and where properly protected is esteemed highly valuable as pasturage. 
Within the past decade the "lespedeza," or Japan clover, has found a foothold in 
the county and now covers most waste places. It is nutritious and very desirable 
forage. Switch cane is found in some localities and affords good winter pasturage. 
Stock raising is carried on as part of ordinary farming operations, and in 1894 there 
were in the county 7,656 head of horses and mules valued at $308,944; 18,185 head 
of cattle valued at $94,833; 56 jacks and jennets valued at $3,794; 895 sheep valued 
at $881 ; 786 goats valued at $653, and 16,955 hogs valued at $23,995. 

The general surface presents a succession of hills of low altitude sloping into 

vallej^s, generally narrow, but often extended 
and undulating. The uplands are thickly 
studded with pine, post oak, red oak, hickory, 
black-jack, and the bottoms with pin oak, 
water oak, walnut, sweet and black gum, and 
other varieties of timber. A large proportion 
of the timber is tall and of large size and val- 
uable for building and mechanical purposes. 
Three di.stinct kinds of soil are found in the 
county and these maybe classed as: alluvial 
lands in the river and creek bottoms, a gray 
sandy soil on a red subsoil, and the red lands. 
The bottom lands are well adapted 
to corn, cotton and sugar cane, the 
gray is most esteemed for cotton, 
while the red lands are suited to, 
and yield equally well, cotton and 
grain, as well as vegetables and 
fruits. All of these soils are 
mellov.-, pliable and easily 
. tilled. The yield of 
standard crops gener- 
ally obtained is good, the 
county being characterized 



Views in Tyler.— 8, South Side Public School. 
9, North Side Public School. 10. Business lilock. 
11. Fruit E-vposition. 12. Business Street. 





S^^ 



rather by a uniformity of fair crops than 
by occasionally extraordinary yields. 
Good freestone water is readily obtain- 
able in all parts of the county in wells 
of moderate depth, and good springs 
are numerous. Artesian water of good 
quality is found in several parts of the 
county. The standard of health is high, 
and the county will compare favorably 
with any portion of the State. 

Improved lands sell from $3 to $15 per 
acre, unimproved from $2 to $7 per acre. 
Average taxable value $3.63 per acre. 
There are 72 mortgages on record amount- 
ing to 1101,649; 1,682 farms in cultiva- 
tion, 1,010 of which are operated by 
renters; 572 farm laborers, with average 
wages of |10.33 per month. There are 
1,341 acres in peaches, 225 in apples, 19 
in plums, 7 in pears, 230 in melons, 296 
in gardens and 600 in grapes. Assessed 
value of property in 1894, $5,991,813; 
county rate of taxation, 65 cents on $100. 

Business — There are 3 National banks, 
with a total capital stock of $400,000, 
142 mercantile establishments, 3 saw 
mills, 1 ice factory, 5 canning factories 
and 1 iron foundry. 

Churchks — Methodist, Baptist, Pres- 
byterian, Cumberland Presbyterian, 
Episcopalian, Catholic and Jewish. 

Schools — The county has 160 schools. 

Tyler — This is a well built and com- 
pact little city, situate in the geographi- 
cal center of the count}'. It has all the 
conveniences and social advantages 
common to places of much larger popu- 
lation. The census gives it 6,908 in- 
habitants. Since then the increase in 
population has been rapid, and it may 
be safely estimated that Tyler has from 
10,000 to 11,000 residents within its 
limits. It is situated on high, rolling, 
well drained ground, and contains an 
exceptionally large number of attractive 
residence and business buildings. The 
business part is substantially built, the 
prevailing material used in construction 
being brick. The residence part con- 
tains nuiny attractive flower gardens, the 
soil and climate being perfectly adapted 
to the successful cultivation of most of 
the more delicate and highly ornamental 
plants. Hence it is a pleasant abiding 
place for travellers and tourists. 

The city, which is the county seat, 
was named in honor of President Tyler, 
under whose administration Texas was 
admitted into the Union. It has two 
commodious public school buildings for 
white children, and the East Texas l^ni- 
versity, a school of high standing, under 
able management. Ample educational 
facilities have been provided for colored 
children. Among the public and semi- 



public buildings are some 6 or 7 fine 
brick churches, the general hospital of 
the St. Louis Southwestern Railway, 
Cotton Belt Route, the county court 
house, jail, city hall. Government build- 
ings, three large brick hotels, three 
national bank buildings, and numerous 
modern business blocks. The city has 
free mail delivery, an excellent system 
of waterworks, a fire department, good 
sewerage, an electric light plant, street 
car lines, and a telephone system. 

It is far in advance of other cities of 
East Texas as a manufacturing point. 
Its several industrial enterprises consist 
of an extensive willow-ware factory, en- 
gaged principally in the manufacture of 
willow and rattan chairs, an ice factory 
capable of turning out daily 20 tons of 
ice, a pottery engaged in the manufac- 
ture of standard goods, as well as orna- 
mental work; the Tyler Car and Lumber 
Company, employing some 500 men; an 
extensive establishment for the manufac- 
ture of coffins, a large iron and brass 
foundry and machine shop, two brick- 
yards, two bottling works, a large cotton 
compress, an iron rolling mill, a box 
factory, a carriage and wagon factory, 
and a large printing house. The can- 
ning of fruit has grown into an exten- 
sive business, and large shipments are 
made from the several canneries located 
here. Tyler is situated on the main line 
of the St. Louis Southwestern or Cotton 
Belt Route and is 128 miles southwest of 
Texarkana. The Tyler Southeastern 
Railway, a branch of the Cotton Belt 
Route, diverges here and extends to 
Lufkin in Angelina County, a distance 
of 90 miles, where it connects with the 
Houston, East & West Texas Railway. 
The Mineola branch of the International 
& Great Northern Railway crosses the 
Cotton Belt Route at Tyler, at which 
place the general ofhces of the Cotton 
Belt (Texas lines) are situated. An 
annual fruit fair is held at Tyler in the 
month of July in each year. 

The other towns of Smith County are : 
Troupe, population 500, containing four 
churches, a district school and a steam 
gin and grist mill ; Winona, with 200 
inhabitants, with 4 general stores and a 
gin and grist mill ; Bullard, with 200 
inhabitants, 2 churches, 2 cotton gin and 
gristmills and 4 general stores; Lindale, 
with 500 inhabitants, 5 flour mills and 
gins, 1 shingle mill, canning factory, a 
high school and some 6 mercantile es- 
tablishments; and Omen, population 
350; Stnrrville, population 175; Swan, 
population 200; Mount Sylvan, popula- 
tion 300; Fruitland, population 150, and 
Carroll, population 100. 



ChcroF^ce Countp, TLcx^q. 



THIS county has an area of 1,008 
square miles and 22,975 inhabitants. 
The Neches River forms the west- 
ern boundary, and the Anj^elina River 
borders the eastern l)oundary for a dis- 
tance of 30 miles. Smith Countv adjoins 
the county on the north boundary. It 
was organized in 1846, and is traversed 



^ 





from north to 
south by the Tyler 
Southeastern Rail- 
way, a branch of 
the Cotton Belt 
Route, and also by 
the International 
& Great Northern 
Railway, passing 
through the north- 
ern part from 
Longview to Pal- 
estine. Jackson- 
ville forms the 
junction of the two lines, which have ..n 
aggregate mileage in the county of 56.82 
miles, assessed at $312,510. 

About one-half of the area of the 
county is suitable for cultivation. The 
general surface is broken, high hills, or 
long ridges alternating with narrow val- 
leys. The hills in some portions of the 
county reach a considerable altitude as 
comparing with the general level. The 
soils are the red, gray and chocol.'ite- 
colored in the uplands, the latter pre- 
dominating. The valley or bottom lands 
are generally stiff black, or black sandy 
lands. Much of the land is very pro- 
ductive, and the greater 
portion of it is of easy cul- 
tivation. The county is 
abundantly supplied with 



water for all purposes, by the Neches 
and Angelina Rivers and their numerous 
tributaries. Large, free flowing springs 
are very numerous and good freestone 
water is obtainable in wells at any desired 
point. Springs of sulphur, alum and 
chalybeate waters are found near Rusk, 
the county seat, and also in other places, 
^ ._^ and are highly esteemed for 
. ' iheir medicinal properties. 

AI)out eight-tenths of the 
area was originally covered with 
timber, composed of pine, sev- 
eral kinds of oak, red elm, 
black locust, black walnut, ash, 
'"liinquapin, hickory, persim- 
MiDn, black haw, mulberry, 
>ycaniore, holly, cherry, cy- 
h press and sassafras. Short leaf 
' and loblolly pine are still suf- 








*gp*^7w»- 



iiLieiiiis ^iiHiiiuaiit to furnish merchant- 
able lumber for a number of years to 
come. 

The climate is not subject to ex- 
tremes of either heat or cold, and the 
rainfall is not only sufficient, but is so 
distributed through the year as to render 
diversified farming fairly successful. 
The general health is good, the only 
exceptions being occasional malarial 
attacks of a mild t}'pe along the river 
and creek bottoms. 

Farming and fruit growing are the 
principal pursuits of the population. 
The manuf:ici III inL: ciitcrjn'i^rs consist 



Views in Rusk. 

1, Business Block. 

2, Iron Works near Rusk. 

3, State Penitentiary. 




168 



of several saw and shingle mills, flouring 
and corn mills, cotton gins, potteries 
and iron works. The usual yield of 
cotton to the acre is 800 pounds in the 
seed; corn, 25 bushels; wheat, 10 bush- 
els; oats, 40 bushels; rye, 12 bushels; 
barley, 40 bushels; molasses, 300 gal- 
lons; Irish potatoes, 100 bushels; sweet 
potatoes, 300 bushels; peas, 100 bushels. 
Vegetables of all kinds are success- 
fully cultivated and yield handsomely. 
Peaches, pears, plums, apricots and sev- 
eral varieties of grapes find here most 
favorable soils and climatic conditions. 
Peaches especially are nowhere surpassed 
in size, color, and flavor. The post oak 
grape, and several other native varieties, 
found in abundance in the forests, yield 
a profusion of fruit, from which a very 
good wine is made. 

Most of the farms, of which there are 
1,843, are small in area. The}^ cover 
85,313 acres and produced in 1894, 9,236 
bales of cotton, 470,003 bushels of corn, 
4,390 bushels of oats and wheat, 34,166 
bushels of sweet potatoes, 3,856 biishels 
of Irish potatoes, 781 barrels of sugar, 
212 barrels of sorghum molasses, and 
4,618 tons of cotton seed. The orchard 
and garden products consist of 1,449 
acres in peaches, valued at $26,934; 65 
acres in apples, valued "> $1,229; 
33 acres in plums, valued at 
$397; 18 acres in pears, 
valued at $415 ; 45 acres 
in melons, valued at 
$1,015; 301 acres in 
garden, valued at 
$28,218, and 
acre in grapes 
valued at 
$429. The 
value of the 
field, orchard 
and garden crops for 
1894 amounted to 



^f\ 




,010, to which might be added$l,376, 
the products of the apiary. 

The native grasses are nutritious, but 
not abundant except along the water 
courses. Enclosed Bermuda grass pas- 
tures have proven highly advantageous 
for stock-raising purposes during the 
summer months, but during the winter 
more or less feeding is required. Japan 
clover has made its appearance in sev- 
eral parts of the county within the last 
decade, and forms a highly prized forage. 
The live stock of the county consists 
of 6,511 horses and mules; 17,665 headol 
cattle; 15 jacks and jennets; 1,696 sheep; 
1,389 goats, and 20,709 hogs. The whole 
valued at $343,823. 

Improved lands sell at prices ranging 
from $5 to $15 per acre; unimproved 
lands may be had at $1 to $5 per acre. 
The assessed value of all property in 
the county in 1894, was $3,070,851. The 
school population numbers 5,296 pupils, 
for whose benefit 110 schools are main- 
tained. The number of teachers em- 
ployed is 123. 

Iron ore of superior quality is found 

in several parts of the county, and at 

Rusk, in the State Penitentiary located 

there, furnaces and foundries have been 

in operation for a number of years. 

Other furnaces have been built at 

New Birmingham and at a 

point between Rusk and New 

Birmingham. 

Rusk, the county seat, is 
located on the Cotton 
Belt Route, and has 
about 2,000 in- 
habitants. It 
has a com- 
ra o d i o u s 
and neatly 
furnished 
court house, 4 
churches, good 
schools, 2 banks, 2 
weekly newspapers, saw 
and planing mills, brick- 
yards, cotton gins, a street 
car line, several good 
hotels, some 15 or 20 busi- 
ness houses, and numerous 
handsome residence build- 
ings. The Eastern Texas 
Penitentiary is located here, 
the convicts l)eing princi- 
pally employed in the 
manufacture of iron ware, 
the smelting works being 
operated by the State. The 
exports of Rusk consist of 
lumber, cotton, hides and 
iron ware. The town is in- 
corporated. 



Scenes in Ciieroker County, near Jacksonville. 



Jacksonville forms the junction of the 
Tyler Southeastern branch of the Cotton 
Belt Route with the International & Great 
Northern Railway. It is situated 15 miles 
northwest of Rusk; is incorporated, and 
has about 2,000 inhabitants. There are 
in Jacksonville, 5 churches, good schools, 
an opera house, a bank, a cannery, saw 
and planing mills, brick yards, good 
hotels, some 20 mercantile establish- 
ments, cotton gins and grist mills, and 
several nurseries. Ex- 
ports of the town are ^ 
lumber, canned goods, ' 
fruits, hides, etc. 

New Birmingham is 
situated 1}-^ miiles south 
of Rusk. It was settled 
in 1888. It has about 
1,000 inhabitants. The 
town was located here 
with a view to develop _^, 

the great iron deposits 
found in this vicinity, 
and extensive iron works 
have been erected for 



mended to persons seeking a new loca- 
tion as the cultivation of peaches in 
Cherokee County, particularly in and 
around Jacksonville. The peach crop 
is almost a certainty, and the quality of 
the fruit produced is unsurpassed any- 
where in the country, and the demand 
in the Northern markets for this partic- 
ular quality of fruit has steadily in- 
creased until at the present time the 
fanciest prices paid for peaches can be 





Al.K.XANDKK INSTITI II .! >, k-. .-, ; ; , , 

that purpose. The town has electric 
light and telephone service, a fine hotel, 
a bank, an ice factory, plow and wagon 
works, brick yards, a weekl}' news- 
paper, and many elegant business 
blocks and private residences. 

The other towns in the count}' are, 
Alto, population 210; Gent, population 
118; Larissa, population 159. 

Pkach CuLTiiRK — There is, possibly, 
no other branch of agriculture or horti- 
culture that can be so strongly recom- 



obtained for the 
Cherokee County 
fruit. The ship- 
ments from Jack- 
sonville for Eastern 
markets are annu- 
ally very large, and 
reach as high as 
100,000 boxes, which 
delivered at the sta- 
tion are worth over 
?30,000. This prod- 
uct could be in- 
creased ten fold in 
the county without 
in any way impair- 
ing the demand. 
The railroad facili- 
ties, particularly at 
Jacksonville, for the shipment of fruit 
are unexcelled, and every encourage- 
ment is offered by the railroads to those 
wishing to engage in fruit culture. 

Bee Cui/riRE — This industry has also 
been foimd very profitable. The pro- 
fusion of wild flowers throughout the 
county produces a quality of honey nnich 
sought after. The cultivation of the bee 
requires so little ground and attention, 
that almost any farmer can engage in it 
and make a handsome profit. 



165 




Hnbcreon County, 'Jlexae. 



POPULATION, 30,000; area, 1,000 
square miles; county seat, Pales- 
tine. The county is traversed by 
the International & Great Northern 
Railroad north and south ; diverging at 
Palestine, one branch of the road runs 
to Houston and Galveston, and the 
other to Laredo. At Palestine are 
located the general offices of the road 
and the extensive machine shops. The 
soil varies from red clay to light and 
black sandy on the uplands, and a rich 
black loam in the valleys. The county 
is well timbered with pine, oak, hickory 
and blackjack. The water supply is 
abundant from the Neches and Trinity 
Rivers and tributaries, and many springs 
and small lakes. Iron ore in small 
quantities, and small beds of lignite are 
found in the county. Building stones, 
principally green sand marls, very dense, 
and red and yellow sandstone, are found 
in all parts of the county. The assessed 
value of property in the county in 1894, 
was $4,515,474; the rate of taxation, 57^2 
cents on the flOO. The county has a 
total indebtedness of $37,000. Improved 
lands can be bought at from $3 to $10 
per acre, unimproved at from $1 to $5 



per acre. The average taxable value is 
$2.27 per acre. There are on file 132 
mortgages, amounting to $133,000; 1,727 
farms are cultivated, 1,307 of them by 
renters; 234 farm laborers are employed 
at an average wages of $16 per month. 
Cotton is 50 per cent of the total prod- 
uct, corn one-third, and oats, potatoes, 
sugar cane, etc., the balance. The land 
is specially adapted to fruits and garden 
products, and there are 385 acres in 
peaches, 16 acres in apples, 122 acres in 
melons, 425 acres in gardens, and 11,500 
grape vines in the county. Live stock 
raising is very successful, and there are 
6,273 horses and mules, 20,270 cattle, 
649 -sheep, 1,037 goats, and 24,626 hogs 
in the county. The principal industries 
of the county, as shown by the above 
returns, are naturally agriculture, breed- 
ing of improved live stock, and cultiva- 
tion of fruits and vegetables. 

Business — There are 2 National and 
4 private banks, with a capital stock 
of $175,000, 115 mercantile establish- 
ments, 4 saw mills, 2 ice factories, 1 
canning factory, 1 electric light plant, 
several machine shops and 1 water 
works. 



.?» «^, '<3|s"»-i. 






1. e!i <j. J\. hllorS, I'ALESTINK. 



-•t^CL^ 




Churches 
— Religious 
denominations • 
are Methodist, 
Catholic, Epis- 
copal, Baptist, 
Presbyterian, 
Congregational 
and Christian 
churches. 

ScHOOivS — There 
are 56 schools, with 
the county, and 960 acres of school lands. 




Zowm on tbe IF. «^ G. IR. 1R. 1R. in Hn^crson 
Countp, XTctas. 

Neches, population, 300, engaged principallj- in farm- 
ing, stock and poultry raising. Water supply abundant 
and of good quality. Fuel — wood, $2 per cord; lumber, 
$8 per thousand. Churches — Methodist, Baptist, Presbj-- 
terian and Christian. One puljlic school. 

Palestine, population 11,000, principally engaged in 
farming, fruit raising, stock breeding and manufacturing. 
The general offices and shops of the International & Great Northern Railroad, 
employing 300 men, are located here; also foundry and machine shops, ice factory, 
water works, two saw mills, cotton compress, oil mill, and nuiny smaller manufac- 
turing establishments. Both Methodist and Ba])tist denominations have churches 
for white and colored congregations, and the Presbyterian, Christian, Episcopal, 
Catholic and Congregational denominations have churches for the white population. 
There are 2 public schools, 1 private and 1 Catholic scliool. Substantial county 
court house and opera house. The town has many handsome residences and well 
built business blocks. Fuel — wood $2.50 per cord, coal $6 per ton. The town is sup- 
plied with excellent water from an extensive water works, and has a fine sewerage 
system, and one of the best fire departments in the State. The excellent literary 
society and other social institutions are kept up by the citizens, and 
Palestine is the center of the best society in the State. 

Elkhart, population 350, principalh' engaged in farming and stock 
raising. Water supply good. Wood $1.50 per cord, lumber $8 per 
thousand. At Elkhart are located the famous Elkhart Mineral Wells, 
which are noted for their medicinal qualities, and are well patronized 
not only by people in the immediate vicinity, but from long distances. 
There is a Methodist, Baptist, Christian and Presbyterian church, 
and 2 public schools. 

Tucker, population 100, principally occupied in farming and stock 
raising. Fuel — wood $2 to $2.50 per cord, lumber $8 per thousand. 
Water supply abundant, both freestone and limestone. There are v' 
2 Methodist and 1 Baptist churches, and 3 public schools. 






2, >-Residence Views. 

3, ) 

4, Masonic Temple. 

5, Public School. 

6, General Offices I. & G. N. R. K . 




Ibouston Counti?, XTctae. 



Public Square and 
Residences— Crockett. 



POPULATION, 25,000; area, 1,176 square 
miles. The International & Great 
Northern Railroad runs north and 
south through center of county for 36 miles. 
The surface of the county is rolling, and 
'.., ' ■ the soil is black, red, gray and 
sandy, and excellent for gen- 
eral farming, gardening and 
fruit raising. The timber is 
good, consisting of oak, pine, 
ash, hickory and pecan. The 
water supply is ample and ob- 
tained from numerous springs, 
creeks and small lakes. There 
are several fine mineral springs 
in the county. A few scattering 
deposits of iron ore have been 
found, and bu ildi ng stones, 
principally green sands are 
found, also small deposits of 
limestone. Assessed value of 
property in 1894, $3,157,153; rate of taxation was 40 cents on the $100. Improved 
lands sell at from $2 to |6 per acre, and unimproved at from $1 to $3 per acre. 
There are 2,560 acres of school lands in the county. The average taxable value is 
$2.16 per acre. There are 28 mortgages on record, amounting to $19,875; 1,805 
farms are in cultivation, 1,210 of which are occupied by renters; 1,804 farm laborers 
received average wages of $18 per month. Cotton is 60 per cent of the total farm 
product; corn, 25 per cent; sweet potatoes, sugar cane, hay, peas, peanuts and 
tobacco make up the balance; 710 acres are planted in peaches, 608 in plums, 300 
acres in pears, 910 acres in melons, and 351 acres in gardens. There are 6,338 
horses and mules, 25,152 cattle, 1,356 sheep, 1,397 goats and 27,297 hogs. The 
principal industries are farming and stock raising, and recently the cultivation of 
tobacco has been engaged in with considerable profit. 

Business — There is 1 National Bank, with a capital stock of $50,000, 66 mercan- 
tile establishments, 6 retail dealers, 16 saw mills, 1 brick and tile manufactory, 
2 chair factories, 1 broom factory, and 1 harness and saddlery factory. 

Churches — The Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian and Christian denominations 
are represented by churches. 

Schools — There are 60 school buildings, 114 teachers, and 3,420 school children 
in the count}'. 

^ovvns on tbe II, 8. G. 1R. 1R. 1R. in IfDouston County, ^eias. 

Qrapeland, population 100, engaged in farming, grape culture, broom and chair 
manufacturing. Fuel— wood, 75 cents to $1.50 per cord; lumber, $8 per thousand. 
The water supply is ample, freestone from wells and springs. Methodist and 
Christian denominations have churches. There are 3 white and 1 colored school. 

Crockett, the county seat of Houston County, has a population of 2,500, engaged 
in farming, fruit raising, stock raising, tobacco growing, and lumber manufac- 
turing. The water supply is abundant and of the best quality. Fuel — wood, $1.50 
per cord; lumber, $10 per thousand. There is a large lumber mill located here, 
and an oil mill. The Baptist and Presbyterian denominations have churches. 
There is 1 white and 1 colored school, and Mary Allen's Seminary for colored girls. 
The County Court House and Mary 
Allen's Seminary are substantial 
public buildings. 

Lovelady, ])opulation 750, en- 
gaged in farming and stock raising. 
Wood, $2 per cord; lumber, $7.50 ,., . 

perthousand; water abundant; Bap- 
tists, Methodists, Presbyterians and 
Campbelliteshave churches. There 
is 1 white and 1 colored school. 




Electric Light Plant— Crockett. 



'CTrinitv) County, 'deiae, 



HAS a population of 10,000, and an 
area of 710 square miles. The 
county is traversed north and 
south by the International & Great 
Northern Railroad, and a branch of the 
Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railway, ex- 
tending from Trinity, through Groveton, 
east to the county line. The general 
surface is undulating, with large forests 
of pine, oak, ash, walnut, cypress and 
hickory. It is well watered by the 
Trinity and Netches Rivers and their 
tributaries. The soil is rich black loam, 
and very productive. The assessed value 
of property in 1894, $1,831,350, and rate 
of taxation 45 cents on the f 100. There 
were 8 mortgages on record, amounting 
to $4,473. Improved lands sell for from 
$5 to $15 per acre, and unimproved for 
from $1 to $6 per acre. Average taxable 
value $1.73 per acre. There are 14,560 
acres of school lands in the county. 
There are 695 farms in the county, 268 
operated by renters. 72 farm laborers 
employed, receiving an average of $11 
per month. 156 acres are planted in 
peaches, 17 acres in melons, 125 acres in 
gardens. There are 2,234 horses and 
mules, 14,463 cattle, 802 sheep, 1,680 



goats, and 16,686 hogs. The principal 
industries are farming and lumber manu- 
facturing, and fruit and vegetable gar- 
dening. Cotton forms 75 percent of the 
total crop, corn, sweet potatoes, peas 
and sugar cane making up the balance. 

Business — There are 35 mercantile 
establishments, 4 saw mills, 1 oil, paint 
and chemical works. 

Churches — Methodist, Presbyterian , 
Baptist, Christian and Congregational de- 
nominations are represented by churches. 

Schools — There are 52 schools, 55 
teachers, and 2,051 school children. 

Iprincipal Zowm on tbe 11. & (3. 
1R. 1R. IR. in Urinit^ (lountp. 

Trinity— Population 1,000, principally 
occupied in farming, stock raising, and 
lumber manufacturing. Water supply 
abundant from Trinity River and springs. 
Fuel wood, $2 to $2.25 per cord; lumber 
$8 per thousand at the mill. A broom 
factory, and brick and tile works are 
located here. Christian, Methodist, 
Baptist and Presbyterian denominations 
have churches. 2 public schools, and 1 
private school. 



jfort !Bcnb Count\), ^cias, 



HAS an area of 889 square miles, and 
a population of 12,000. Fort Bend 
County is in the second tier of 
counties from the Gulf. The Brazos 
River traverses the entire length of the 
county. The soil is deep alluvial, and 
very productive. Timber is mostly oak, 
pecan, walnut and Cottonwood. The 
principal industries are sugar raising 
and farming. The International & Great 
Northern Railroad passes through the 
southeastern part of the county, and 
connecting at Areola Junction with the 
Sugar L,and Railway, and the Cnilf, 
Colorado & Santa Fe Railway. The 
assessed value of propertv in 1894 was 
$5,114,080. Improved lands sell from $5 
to $20 per acre ; unimproved lands from 
$2 to $6 per acre. Average taxable value 
$5.42 per acre. The county rate of tax- 
ation is 65 cents on the $100. There are 
44 mortgages, amounting to $44,215, on 



record; 380 farms are under cultivation, 
and 559 persons rent land for farming 
purposes. 546 farm laborers receive an 
average wage of $12.50 per month. 
Cotton is 50 per cent of the product, and 
sugar cane about 30 per cent, corn about 
15 per cent, the balance made up of 
potatoes, peas, beans, broom corn and 
hay. There are 8,865 horses and mules, 
52,519 cattle, 1,002 sheep, 4,515 hogs in 
the county. 

Business. There are 50 mercantile 
establishments, 22 retail dealers, 1 ice 
factory, and several large sugar mills 
located in the county. 

Churches — The Baptist, Methodist, 
Episcopal, Christian and Catholic de- 
nominations are represented by fine 
churches. 

Areola, the principal town in the 
county, is located on the International 
& Great Northern Railroad. 



159 



TOlall^cr Countv\ tTcrari. , 




THIS county has a population of 
15,000, and an area of 740 
square miles. The International & 
Great Northern Railroad passes through the county 
from north to south, with a branch from 
Phelps to Huntsville, a distance of 12 
miles. At Huntsville is located -''" 

the State penilentiar' 
and Sam Houston ^- 
Normal Institute 
The surface of tin 
county is rolling, 
and the soil is prin- 
cipally a rich loam. 
It is well timbered 
with pine, oak, ash, 
elm and hickory. 
The Trinity River 
and tributaries, with 
numerous springs, give 

an ample supply of good water. Sulphur and 
other mineral springs are found. The as- 
sessed value of property in 1894 was |2,294,- 
060. The average rate of taxation 60 cents on the $100. Improved lands sell for 
from $7 to |20 per acre, unimproved for from %2 to %1 per acre. Average taxable 
value $2.48 per acre. There are 1,600 acres of school lands in the county; 225 
mortgages on record, amounting to $15,552; 900 farms are under cultivation, 400 
farm laborers, average wages $10 per month. There are 3,300 horses and mules, 11,884 
cattle, 2,229 sheep, 981 goats, and 7,936 hogs. Cotton is about 50 per cent of the 
entire product, corn about 30 per cent, balance sweet potatoes, Irish potatoes and oats. 

Business — One national bank with a capital stock of $50,000, 45 mercantile 
establishments. 5 saw mills, 1 ice factory, 1 fire brick and tile factory. 

Churches — Methodist, Presbyterian, Christian and Catholic denominations have 
churches. 

Schools — There are 23 school buildings, 66 teachers, exclusive of the Sam 
Houston Normal Institi:te, a school for the training of teachers for public schools. 

Uowns o\\ tbe 11. «X G. 1R. 1R. 1R. in Malfter County, 'Ceias. 

Riverside, population 200, engaged in farming, stock raising and fishing. Fuel — 
wood $1.50 to $2 per cord, lumber $10 per thousand. Water supply from cisterns 
and the Trinity River. There is 1 Baptist church and 1 public school. 

Dodge, population 350, engaged in farming and stock raising. Fuel — wood $1.50 
to $2 per cord, lumber $8 to $10 per thousand. There is 1 Baptist and 1 Union 
church, and 1 public school. 

Phelps, population 50. This is the junction of the Huntsville Branch with the 
main line. The inhabitants are principally engaged in farming and wood cutting. 
Fuel — wt)od $1.50 per cord, lumber, $11 per thousand. Water supply abundant and 
of fair (|uality. There are no churches, and 1 public school. 

Huntsville, population 2,000, engaged in farming, stock raising and manufactur- 
ing. The water supply is from wells and springs. Fuel $1.75 to $2 per cord, lum- 
ber, $7 to $8 per thousand at the mill. There is 1 Methodist, 1 Presbyterian, 1 
Episcopal, and 1 Christian church for white people, and 2 Baptist and 2 Methodist 
churches for colored people; 2 public schools and 3 private schools. Sam Houston 
State Normal Institute, State penitentiary and court house are substantial liuildings. 
Pine Valley, population 500, principally engaged in the mani:facture of lumber, 
Fuel plentiful. Water supply good, and obtained from wells at from 15 to 30 feet. 
Lumber$S.10per thousand. lias a Baptist and INIcthodist church, and 1 public school. 

Waverly (post office, New Waverly), population 300, principally engaged in 
farming and lumber manufacturing. Water supply good and abundant. Fuel — 
wood $2 per cord, lumber $10 per thousand. The religious denominations are repre- 
sented 1)y Methodist, Catholic and Baptist churches. There are 2 public schools. 





ilDontoomcr\> Count\>, tCcrae. 

POPULATION, 13,000; area, 1,100 square miles. 
The International & Great Northern Railroad 
traverses the county north and south, and at 
Conroe connects with the Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe 
Railway, running toward Navasota, and Texas Louis- 
iana & Eastern Railroad running East. The north- 
western portion of the county is high and rolling. The 
remainder nearly level. Almost the entire county is 

heavily timbered with walnut, hickory, ash and other varieties. The water supply 

is abundant from San Jacinto River and various creeks. The assessed value of prop- 
erty in 1894 was ^2,867,860 ; the rate of taxation being 70 cents on the flOO. Improved 

lands sell at from $3 to $15 per acre, and unimproved at from 1^1 to $6 per acre. Average 

taxable value, 12.05 per acre. There are 5,760 acres of school lands. Twenty-one 

mortgages on record, amounting to $21,440. There are 

929 farms under cultivation; 1,072 renters on farms; , 

809 farm laborers, receiving average wages of $8.09. 

There are 177 acres in peaches, 38 acres in plums, 13 

acres in pears, 212 acres in melons, 310 acres in gardens, 

and 25 acres in tobacco. There are 3,521 horses and mules, 

14,183 cattle, 1,000 sheep, 1,220 goats, and 9.269 hogs. 

Cotton represents 55 per cent of the entire crop product, 

corn 35 per cent, sweet potatoes, Irish potatoes, peas, 

peanuts and tobacco the remainder. The culture of 

tobacco has recently become a feature of this county, and 

is said to be profitable, and a large tobacco store-house 

and cigar factory has recently been located here, and is 

said to be doing a prosperous business. 

Business — There are 35 mercantile establishments, 11 retail dealers, 17 sawmills, 

and 3 planing mills in the county. 

Churches — The religious denominations represented in the county by churches 

are. Christian, Methodist, Presbyterian and Episcopal. 

Schools— There are 86 school buildings, 76 teachers and 3,022 pupils. 

Clowns in /Iftontgomer^ Count^j, on tbe IF. S. (3. IW. TR. 1R. 

Willis, population 1,000, principally engaged in farming, to- 
bacco and fruit raising. Willis is the center of the Texas tobacco 
growing country, to which attention has recently been attracted. 
There aie no finer qualities grown anywhere than in this section. 
The celebrated grade of cotton known as the Sea- Island, long 
staple, also thrives well here. Fuel — wood, $2 per cord. Lumber, 
$9 per thousand. Water supply is pure freestone, and abundant. 
There are Methodist, Baptist and Campbellite churches. The M. 
^: F. College is located here, and 1 public school. The town has 
,1 commodious opera house. 

Conroe, population 700, engaged in farming, tobacco, and Sea- 
I ^land cotton culture and lumber manufacturing. Fuel — wood, $1.50 
litrcord. Lumber, $6.50 to $8 per thousand. Water, pure free- 
stone and abundant. Churches are Baptist and Methodist. Two 
public schools, 1 for white children and one for colored children. Conroe is the 
county seat of Montgomery County. 

Tobacco Growing and Manufacturing — ihe growing of tobacco for manu- 
facturing into cigars has never been found successful in the United States in com- 
petition with Cuban raised tobacco. It is held by experts in tobacco culture, 
however, that there is some peculiarity in the soil of Montgomery 
County which makes it possible to raise tobacco in this county 
equal to the Cuban production, and the attention that is now 




Views in Montgomery County. 
1, Methodist Church. 2, Court House. 

3, Three Little Maids from School. 





being paid to it, it is confidently asserted, 
will in a few years make Willis one of 
the greatest cigar nianufactnring points 
in the United States ; and that it will 
not be necessary to import the tobacco 
from Cuba, as is now done, to the fac- 
tories at Key West and other Florida 
points. The home production will be 
found fully equal to the foreign grown 
tobacco. There is already one cigar 
factory located at Willis, and the raising 
of tobacco has only been engaged in 
three or four years. A very large 
increased acreage is being planted in 
tobacco every year and the results are 
found satisfactory, and large profits are 
made from tobacco cultivation. There 
are many other tobacco manufactures 
that this peculiar grade of tobacco is 
adapted to, and factories for working it 
up will be established at, Willis, as 
rapidly as the production becomes 
sufficient. 

Another special product of Mont- 
gomery Count}', as mentioned above, is 
the long staple cotton, generally known 
as Sea Islaiid cotton. This cotton for 
many years was supposed to be only 
possible of production on the islands off 
South Carolina, and in Jefferson County, 
Ark., near Pine Bluff, and many of 
the principal thread manufacturers in 
England and the United States drew 
their supply of cotton from these local- 
ities, as it was the best suited for the 
manufacture of thread. The fact having 
developed, however, that ^Montgomery 
County soil will produce equally as good 
long staple cotton as that produced iti 
Arkansas and the Carolinas has now 
been fully demonstrated, 
and already buyers of the 
large thread mills are 
contracting in advance 



for the cotton product 
of the county. The 
production of this 
staple in Montgomery 
County can be largely 
increased, although it 
now represents more 
than one -half of the 
total crop product. The 
price fortius jjarticular 
grade of cotton is always a cent or 
more higher per pound than the ordi- 
nary cotton produced. 

The soil of Montgomery Count}' is not 
alone particularly adapted to tobacco and 
long staple cotton, but is also adapted to 
producing the finest fruits, particularly 
small fruits, strawberries and vegetables. 
The same can be placed in the Northern 
markets very early. The cheapness of 
unimproved laiuls in this county, $1 to 
$6 per acre, should be an incentive to any 
one wishing to go into the cultivation of 
vegetables or fruits to select it as a point 
for a new home. It is only a short dis- 
tance to Houston and Galveston, and gets 
a ready local demaiul for everything pro- 
duced; and it has excellent railroad fa- 
cilities which enable it to reach northern 
markets as soon, if not sooner, than the 
products from the other Southern States. 
Small fruit and vegetable farms can be 
relied on to yield a profit of from $50 to 
$300 per acre per year, as in this section 
of the State such a thing as failure of 
crops or fruits from drouths or other 
causes is unknown. Peaches grow 
well and i^roduce abundantly. ~ 

The entire attention. of farmers 
has too long been devoted tot 
cotton and corn ; but 
the new settlers com- 
ing into the county 
are trying other 
products, such as 
potatoes, peas and 
])eanuts, and 
are obtaining 
very satisfac- 
torv results. 





Views in Willis. 
1, Tobacco Farms. 3, Cigfar Facton'- 



WiUis College. 



4, Gin. 



H3arri6 County, ticiae. 



THIS county has an area of 1,800 square miles and a population of 80,000. The 
county is generally level. The soil is a very light sand on the ridges and a 
rich, mellow loam in the creek and river bottoms, and is adapted to almost 
every agricultural product. Harris County is well watered by the San Jacinto 
River and bavous. The assessed value of property in 1894 was $28,116,034. 
The average taxable value of land |6.36per acre. There is little land for sale in the 
county, and values are uncertain on that account. The county rate of taxation is 50 

cents on the jflOO. Houston, one of the principal 
cities of the State, is the county seat of Harris 
County. It is a prominent railroad center also of 
the State, having 15 railroads entering it, and is 
the second largest railroad point in the State. The 
country surrounding Houston is principally used for 
market and fruit gardening. The great Texas fruit 
belt touches the southern portion of the county, and 
promises to eqtial California in the production of 
pears and other fruits. 

There are 1,940 farms, 35 being 
operated by renters; 128 farm 
laborers, with average wages of 
.50 per month; 125 acres are in 
peaches, 22 acres in plums, 487 
acres in pears, 429 acres in gar- 
dens and 1,781 grape vines; 8,158 
horses and mules, 48,951 cattle, 
7,846 sheep, 1,473 goats and 3,131 
hogs. 
Business — There are 5 National 
banks and 1 
private bank, 
600 mercan- 
tile estab- 
lishments, 
30 whole- 
sale dealers, 
3 saw mills, 
9 fire brick 
andtileman- 
u factories. 
_____^,__„ '^^1*^ manu- 
facturing enterprises of the 
county are very large, prin- 
cipally located in the cit}' of 
Houston. 

Churches— The Baptist, Cath 
olic. Episcopal, Jewish, Lutheran 
Methodi.st, Presbyterian and Cum 
berland Presbyterian denomi- 
nations are all represented by 
churches, many of them 1)eing 
of the largest and finest chai - 
acter. ^~"^ 




Views in Houston. 
2 \ Inman Compres.s. 

3, National Cotton Oil Co. 

4, Dixon Car Wheel Works. 

5, Merchants and Planters' 

Oil Co. 

6, National Cotton Oil Co. 

7, Phoenix I^umher Co. 




ScHOOi^s — Outside of the city of Hous- 
ton there are 87 school buildings, with 
87 teachers and a school population of 
2,904. 

Cities an^ Tlowns on tbe 1f. & 

(5. IR. 1R. 1R. in Ibarris 

County, Ucias. 

Spring has a population of 100, prin- 
cipally emploN^ed in farmin.ef and slock 
raising. Fuel — wood, 
$1,50 to $2.00 per cord; 
lumber sells for fS.OO 
to$10.00perthousand. 
The water supply is 
abundant and of the 
very best quality. It 
has 1 Union church 
and 1 pul)lic school. 

Houston, "The Mag- 
nolia City," with a 
population of about 
70,000, was founded 
in the year 1837, and 
was the first capital of Texas. Situated 
on Buffalo Bayou, at the head of navi- 
gable tide-water, it possesses the im- 
measurable advantages attached to direct 
ocean communication. A 100- foot chan- 
nel, with a depth of from 15 to 20 
feet, connects the city with Galves- 
ton Bay, and the recent development 
of deep water in Galveston Harbor, 
together with work now being done by 
the United States Government, will en- 
able the largest ocean vessels to approach 
Houston. 

R.\iLRO.VDS — But it is to the railroads 
that Hou.ston owes its development and 
prosperity. Fifteen different lines now en- 
ter the city and others are building. The 
railroad shops employ nearlv 3,000 men, 
with a monthly pay roll of $250,000. 

Climate — Houston enjoys a healthy, 
semi-tropical climate, with a mean sum- 
mer temperature of 90 degrees, tempered 
by constant trade winds which blow 
continuously from the gulf during the 
summer months. The average winter 
temperature is 6o degrees. The health 
record of the city is excellent, the an- 
nual death rate being only 10. S per thou- 
sand. Tills is largely accounted for by 
the fact that the water supply is abso- 
lutely pure, being of artesian origin, and 
the location is high and dry. 

Houston has many handsome public 
and business buildings and beautiful 
private residences. It has, also, the 
finest electric railway system in the 
South. The surrouiiding country is 
covered with numerous forests of pine, 
oak and other trees indigenous to the 
locality, and the profusion of magnolia 



groves in the sub- 
urbs has given it 
the name of "The 
Magnolia City." 
Its proximity to the 
gulf coast, its de- 
lightful climate and 
its many social at- 
tractions, combine 
to make it one of 
the most desirable 





Power Hot'SE and 

Stand Pipe, 
Houston Heights. 



ncRS Oil Co., Houston. 

health and pleasure resorts in the South. 
There is a double daily fast train service 
between St. Louis and Houston, via the 
Iron Mountain Route and its connections 
in Texas, offering choice of two routes 
and a delightful ride through the Ozark 
Mountains and beautiful Arcadia Valley 
by daylight. 

Markkts — Houston is the best market 
in Texas, being one of the cheapest cities 
in living expenses in the United States. 

Industkiks — The princijjal industries 
of the county surrounding Houston are 
agriculture, truck farming, etc. In the 
city the manufacturing industries are cot- 
ton compresses, breweries, car wheel 
works and railroad shops. There are 4 
large cotton seed oil mills, 4 large cotton 
compresses, a natatorimn, a large electric 
light and power plant, gas works and 
artesian waterworks. The average price 
of lumber is from $10 to $13 per thousand. 
The water supply is mostly artesian, 
there being 139 artesian wells in the 
count}', and the quality of the water is un- 
surpassed. 

Churches— All the religious denomi- 
nations are represented, there being 49 
churches in the city. There are 21 pub- 
lic schools, not including the high school, 
and numerous private and denomina- 
tional institutions. 

PriJi.ic Buildings — There are many 
public buildings, including the court 
liouse, the county and city jails, opera 
house, market building, occupying a 
full block, city hall and city high school. 
In 1895 there were handled in Houston 
1,850,000 bales of cotton. There are 
15 railroad lines centering in the city. 



bringing in an estimated trade of $50,- 
000,000 per year. 

Banking — The bank clearances in 
1895 were |247,805,810 The taxable 
value of the city in 1894 was $21,121,025, 
which shows an increase of 100 per cent 
since 1889. The city is one of the best 
sewered in the South, having 50 miles of 
excellent sewerage. 

Houston Bank Reserve. — Houston 
has been made a "Bank Reserve," 
which is done on account of showing 




bank reserve cities. Hence Houston's 
advantage in the matter of bank reserve, 
the additional 9 per cent referred to from 
nearly every national bank in Texas 
going to Houston to swell the volume of 
currency, and, consequently, of trade. 

CoMP.\RATiVE Statement — Popula- 
tion 1885, 27.000; 1895, 61,530. Taxable 
values 1885. $10,566,890; 1895,121,121,025. 
Gross cotton receipts 1885, 408,000 bales; 
1895, 1,850,000. Cotton compressed 1885, 
100, 000 bales; 1895, 500,000. Number of 
railroad lines 1885, 7; 
1895, 15. Trade of 1885, 
estimated, $7,000,000-; 1895, 
$30,000,000. Paved blocks 
1885, 4; 1894, 250 or 11 
miles. Bank clearances 
1891, $204,000,000; last 12 
months, $247,805,810. 
Miles of sewer 1885, 14; 
1895, 50. Value of manu- 
factured products 1885, 
$600,000; 1895, estimated, 
$10,000,000. Number of 
houses built 1885, 100; 1894, 
633. Banking capital at 
present time, $3,000,000. 

Cotton Report — The 
following figures are 



Buffalo Bayou. 

conclusively a population 
of over 50,000, and on the 
basis of its large bank 
movements, bulk of busi- 
ness, and general trade 
advantages. There are 
only about fourteen bank 
reserve cities in the 
United States. In the 
present case, application 
to the Treasury Depart- 
ment was made by Mem- 
phis and Dallas, as well 
as several other cities, 
Houston, however, being 
the successful competitor. 
With the exce])tion of Houston and 
Savannah there is no city in the Union 
of less than 300,000 inhabitants granted 
this favor. 

The features of the reserve are, briefly, 
that the national banks must keep back 
25 per cent of the deposits on hand at 
all times. Other national banks are 
required to keep back but 15 per cent, 
of which only 6 per cent need be in 
ca.sh, the other 9 per cent with agents in 




officiall}' given out by the Houston 
Cotton Exchange, and go to prove 
that Houston is the greatest inland 
cotton market of the world : Season end- 
ing Augu.st 31, 1885, 408,434 bales; 
August 31, 1886, 694,357 bales; August 
31, 1888, 648,159 bales; Augu.st 31, 1889, 
675,504 bales; August 31, 1890, 794,601 
bales; August 31, 1891, 985,084; Augu.st 
31, 1892, 1,135,872 bales; August 31, 
1893, 1,119,282 bales; August 31, 1894, 




Residences, Houston Heights, 



1,106,199 bales; August 31, 1895, estimated, 1,850,000. From September 1, 1894, to 
March 15, 1895, Houston's receipts were 1,676,108, against 957,184 for the same 
period last year, when the total was 1,106,199. 

Estimating the entire crop at 9,650,000 bales, and that of Texas and the Indian 
Territory at 3,250,000, it will be seen that Houston handles 69.09 per cent of the 
Texas commercial crop, and thus leads all markets except New Orleans. 

Incre.\SE Popur,.\TiON — Houston has made remarkable strides in this direction. 
The increase in population since the last directory census has been much greater 
than during any like period in the city's history, as the following statement 
will show : Year 1884-5, population 27,126, increa.se 4,353; year 1886-7, population 
30,369, increa.se 3,246; year 1887-8, population 31,214, increase 825; year 1889-90, 
population 36,609, increase 5,355; year 1890-91, population 41,967, increase 5,367; 
year 1892-93, population 50,154, increase 8,178; year 1894-95, population 61,530, 
increase 11,376. It is safe to assume that the next figures shown will give 
Houston about 70,000 population. 

_^^ Taxable City Vai.uics — The following figures give the 

= -' = assessed values of property for the last decade: 1885, 

' $10,566,890; 1886, f 10, 478, 935; 1887, $9,154,304; 1888, 

$9,994,566; 1889, |10,457,883; 1890, $12,966,485; 1891, 

$15,016,664; 1892, 
$15,971,494; 1893, 
$16,772,833; 1894, 
$21,121,025. The 
figures show a 
doubling of values 
in the period 
covered. The 
total bonded in- 
debtedness of the 
city is placed at 
,^ $1,852,800, and 
' there is no default 
in the payment of 
the interest. 
The foregoing, of course, only gives a brief 
mention of a few of the advantages of Houston, 
but it can be seen from the figures that this city is 
one of the best in the South as a location for 
business man, working man, or capitalist. 
Houston affords ample opportunities in almost any line of 
business. 

Houston's citizens are wide-awake and enterprising, as well as 
public-spirited The surrounding country is rich and well developed. 
Just south of Houston begins the Texas fruit belt, extending to the coast, which 
region is attracting great attention. It is one of the garden spots of the world. 
Almost every variety of fruit or vegetable can be there grown with profit. A more 
extended notice of this section will be found under the heading of Galveston County. 
Houston is one of the best known markets of the South, not only in the line of 
fruits and vegetables, but for the staple products as well. On this account living 
expenses are comparatively low. Houston is a distributing point for a very large 
section of Texas. The section furnishing princi])al outside trade for Houston 
extends from the coast as far north as Palestine, and from the eastern boundary of 
Texas, almost to San Antonio, and, having ample railroad facilities, Houston enjoys 
a good trade almost the entire year. 

The volume of trade, as shown in the 
figures given above, will convey but a 

slight idea of the amount of business ; 

actually transacted in Houston. 

As will be noted from the views given, 
the residence portion of Houston is fully 
up to date, and this may be said of the 
entire city. It is a modern city in every 
sense of the term. With its many miles 
of paved streets, the best electric street car 
service of any city in the South, and its 



HiGR ScHOOt, HorsTON. 





great trade, Houston is one of the most desirable 
locations, not onl}- of Texas, but in the United 
^. States. 

IFDOuston IbeiGbts. 

As the name indicates, Houston 
g, ^ Heights is located on the highest 

.A«^*'|'i»' '..^iiafe^ ground in the immediate vicinity 

of Houston, being about 22 feet 
higher than the mean level of 
the city. It is located north- 
west from Houston, and about 
one and one-half miles from 
the corporate limits. Electric 
street cars run to the Heights 
every few minutes from the 
business center of Houston. The 
Heights have already elegant 
residences, beautiful pleasure 
grounds, several pa)dng manu- 
facturing industries, electric light plant, artesian water, 
a good hotel, theater, and, in fact, everything that would 
make it a desirable residence 
location. 

The Forest Park, which is 
located on Houston Heights 
Boulevard, contains about 200 
acres, about half a natural 
forest, and has several artificial 
lakes, a fine natatorium sup- 
plied with artesian water, an 
immense dancing pavilion, 
base ball grounds, bicycle 
track, and many other like 




attractions. It is located 
about 2 miles from the center 
of town, and is reached by 
electric cars, running every 
15 minutes. 

Many church edifices are 
already erected, and others in 
contemplation, at the Heights. 
There is also a good school 
building. 

Railroad Facilitiks — In addition to its 
own electric line, controlled by the Houston 
Heights Company; it has a steam railroad, 
making connection with all the 15 railroads 
centering in Houston, and affording good 
shipping facilities. The Missouri, Kansas & 
Texas, Southern Pacific, and Houston & 
Texas Central lines pass within a short 
distance of the Heights. 

The manufacturing industries now in 
operation at or near the Heights are, saw 
mill, art glass works, water and light plant, Houston car 
works. Brick and Tile Company, mattress factory, furniture 
and cabinet works, basket factory, oil mill, planing mill 
and sash factory, stave and spoke works. 

The residences at the Heights, as will be seen from the 
illustrations given, are modern and up to date in every 
particular. 



Views in Houston. 

1, Market House. 

2, Main Street. 

3, Auditorium. 

4, Fountains, Mar- 

ket House. 

5, Street Scene. 

6, Main Street. 

7, I. & G. N. Depot. 

8, Sou. Pac. Depot. 




Picnic Rksorts — The principal picnic 
resort of Houston is naturally Dickinson, 
which, while not located in Harris 
County, is still 
deservin;^ of 
mention on ac- 
count of its fine 
grounds and 
amusement fa^ 
cilities. At Dick- 
inson are good 
race tracks, a 
fi n e boating 
course, a fi n e 
forest ground, 
large dancing 
pavilion, and 
many other 
amusement fa- 
cilities. The 
Texas Coast Fair is 
held at Dickinson each 
year. Dickinson is lo- 
cated midway between 
Houston and Galveston, 
on line of International 
and Great Northern 
Railroad, and is in the 
midst of the famous 
Texas Coast Fruit Belt. 

Marrisburg has a popula- 
tion of 900, and is virtually 
a suburb of Houston. The 
principal industries of its 
inhabitants are fn:it and 
vegetable culture. The 
water supply is abundant, 
and from artesian wells. 
Lumber sells at from $12 to 
$16 per thousand. There 
is a Methodist, Episcopal, 
Baptist and Presbj'terian 
church; 2 schools, 1 for 
white and 1 for colored 
children. 

Genoa has a popula- 
tion of 300, principally 
occupied in gardening 
and fruit farming. 
The water supply is 
from artesian wells 
and is of excellent 
quality. Timber is not 
abundant. There is a 
Baptist and Methodist 






church, and 1 public school. Fuel — 
wood, $5 per cord. Genoa is on the 
edge of the great Texas Coast Fruit Belt. 
Webster has 
a population of 
200, principally 
engaged in fruit 
growing and 
gardening. 
Webster is in 
the Texas Coast 
Fruit Belt. 
Lumber sells at 
from $10 to $12 
per thousand. 
The water sup- 
ply is from in- 
exhaustible ar- 
tesian wells. It 
has a Methodist 
and Presbyterian 
church, 1 white and 1 
colored school. P'uel 
— wood, $2.50 per cord. 
Almeda, population 
150, principally en- 
gaged in fruit growing 
and farming; lumber 
$12 per thousand; 
water .supply is abun- 
dant and of good quality; 
has 1 ITnion church and 1 
public school; wood, $2.50 
per cord. 

Almeda is also located 
in the Texas Coast Fruit 
Belt, and the land is cap- 
able of producing excellent 
fruit and of all varieties, 
particularly pears, straw- 
berries and plums. Sugar 
cane is also a very profit- 
able crop. Considerable 
attention is being directed 
towards the production of 
ramie, which yields 4 
crops per year, and 
produces about 10,000 
pounds of fibre to the 
acre. 

This product prom- 
ises to be one of the 
most valuable that can 
be cidtivated in the 
county. 




Park Scfnes ARorxn Houston. 



160 




all 



(3al\>c0ton Counti?, XTcias. 

HIS county has an area of 640 square miles, and a popu- 
lation of about 60,000. It comprises Galveston Island 
and the adjacent main land, which is traversed by the 
International & Great Northern Railroad. On 
l^ >. the island, at the eastern end, is located the 
** City of Galveston, the principal seaport 

of Texas, and the second largest ex- 
porting city in the United States, New 
York only exceeding it. It is also the 
third richest city in the United States 
in proportion to population. The sur- 
face of the county is level prairie. The 
soil of the main land being sandy loam, 
and very rich; the island is sandy. There is very little farm- 
ing done in the county, the land cultivated being largely 
devoted to fruit raising and vegetable gardening. The prin- 
cipal streams are Clear Creek, and Dickinson and Highland 
Bayous ; and the land along these streams is well 
- -, timbered with pine, oak, etc. The assessed value 
of property in 1894 was 125,570,520. Improved 
lands sell at from ^10 to |^50 per acre ; unimproved 
trom $5 to $20 per acre. The average taxable 
value is $9.69 per acre. There are 418 mortgages 
on record, amovinting to |928,525. The average 
farm wages, $17 per month. The farm products 
are principally sweet and Irish potatoes, corn, hay, 
peas, and beans, pears and strawberries. In 1894, 
532 acres were planted in melons, 279 acres in 
gardens, and 500 in grapes. There are 2,081 horses 
and mules, 10,094 cattle, 825 sheep and 270 hogs 
in the count}-. The tax rate is 60 cents on the 
|100. The fish and oyster product of Galveston 
the other products of the . -^^^=2^®=- 



far exceeds 
county. 

Churches. — Baptist, Catholic, Chris- 
tian, Episcopal, Methodist, Presbj-terian, 
Lutheran, Evangelical and Jewish. Schools 
are excellent, 
and of the 
highest grade 
in Galveston. 
In the county 
outside of the 
city, there are 
11 schools, 
withl2 teach - 
e r s , a n d a 
school pop- 
ulation ol 
611. 




1, Harmony Hall. 

2, Water W'orks. 

3, City Hall. 

4, Union Station. 
5, St . Joseph Academy. 
fi State Med. Ins., Sealy Hosp, 

Kosenberrv Free School 
^ Hall High School. 





170 




Business and Industriks.— 
There are 450 mercantile estab- 
lishments, 14 wholesale dealers, 
1 flour mill, 2 ice factories, 
bagging factory, 1 rope walk, 
and 1 cotton and woolen mill 
located in the county. The City 
of Galveston is steadily and rap- 
idly improving in all branches 
of business. 



ITowns an& Cities in (Balveston 
Countp. 

League City.— Population 250. Iiulustries, fruit 
and garden farming. Water supplv abundant, both 
artesian and surface wells. Has Methodist and Bap- 
tist churches, and 1 public school. Wood sells at $2 per cord, and lumber at $14 
per thousand. [See description of Dickinson and the great fruit countrv foUowine- 
Galveston.] ^' s 

La Marque.— Population 150. Industries, fruit and garden farming. La Marque 
is a great shipping point for the Highland strawberries, which are in demand 
throughout the entire country. Water supply abundant, and obtained from surface 
wells at from 12 to 15 feet; or from artesian wells, 500 to 700 feet. There is 1 

^^ ^^____ ' Union church, and 1 public 

^'' ^ -. V - =-=- — — -- _^ school. Wood sells at |4 per 

cord, and lumber $12 per 
thousand. 

City of Galveston. — Popu- 
lation 55,000. Railroads: In- 
ternational & Great Northern , 
Gulf, Colorado &SantaFe and 
INIissouri, Kansas & Texas. 

The City is located on the 
east end of Galveston Island. 
The island is about 30 miles 
long and from 3 to 5 miles 
wide. Bolivar Peninsula, a 
strip of the main land, is pro- 
longed to the southwest, so 
that it is practically parallel 
to the Island and is its coun- 
terpart in all but complete iso- 
lation. These two break- 




waters protect the Bay of Galves- 
ton, which has an area of 155 
square miles, making it one of the 
safest and best harbors in the 
world. The entrance to the Bay is 
between the Island and the Penin- 
sula, is one mile and a half wide, 
and by reason of work done by the 
Government, is of sufficient depth 
at the bar to float the largest vessel. 
Ocean steamers, drawing as much 
as 22 feet of water, are now enabled 
to go as safely and conveniently 
to anchor, alongside its wharves, 




ViKWS I.V G.\LVESrON. 

1, Beach Hotel. 

2, Bath House, Beach Hotel. 

3, Loading- Grain for Export 

4, Loadinjr Cotton. 

5, Cotton Wharf. 




171 



as do the great Atlantic liners at New York. It is 
claimed by the Galvestonians that the advantages 
afforded by the development of deep water will be felt 
over a vast territory, including some of the richest por- 
tions of the United States, and extending even as fai 
north as North Dakota, the capital of which vState is nearci 
Galveston than it is to its, at present, utilized seaport. New 
York. This comparative proximity of the Northern States 
is a geographical fact that is seldom realized until verified 
by the figures. Denver, Colorado, is 600 miles nearer 
to Galveston than to New York. Missouri, Kansas, 
New Mexico, Arizona and California are other com- 
paratively close neighbors, and the benefit which will 
accrue to these States and Territories is beyond calcu- 
lation. While Galveston does not rank very high in the 
listof cities in regard to population, its business position 
and importance are shown by the fact that the bank clear 
ances place it an average eleventh among the financial centers 
of the United States, and it transacts a volume of business 
equal to that of communities having three or four times 
its population. 

The many beautiful homes, fine churches, and numer- 
ous schools of Galveston, testify to its superior advan- 
tages as a residence city. Located on an island, visitors 
enjoy, to the full extent the benefits of the delicious 
and 'unceasing Gulf breezes, which render pleasant a - 
summer which would otherwise be of tropical heat. Dur 
ing the winter, the pleasant sunshine and summer verdure 
recall a perfect May-day in some Northern State. There are 
two large, first-class hotels, excellent beaches for bathing, 
and superb fishing. The sandy soil is capable of produc- 
ing fruits, vegetables and berries of all kinds, straw- 
berries particularly. The climate is salubrious, and in 
fact is delightful almost the entire year, Galveston • 
being the summer resort for the interior of Texas. The 
Gulf breeze every evening is cool and refreshing. The 
water supply is abundant from artesian wells located on 
the main land, being piped into the city under the bay. 
Notwithstanding Galveston is so largely interested in exports, 
and so many foreign ships enter it, it is one of the health- 
iest cities in the South, and is under most excellent sani- 
tary supervision. It is the largest shipping port on the 
Gulf, the shipments of cotton alone in 1894 being 
935,360 bales, and the custom receipts were $82,064.45. 

The shipping facilities are being largely increased l)y 
the expenditure of |6, 200,000 by the United States Gov- 
ernment on jetties, which, when completed, will extend 
a distance of 6 miles into the Gulf of Mexico; the present ~ 
depth of water obtained is 22 feet at low tide; which is 
sufficient for all but the very largest ocean vessels. The 
city is provided with an excellent system of electric street « 
railroads; ten public fountains, and other pviblic con 
veniences. Galveston, with a population of 55,000 has 
an assessed property value of $24,500,000, making it oni- 
of the richest cities, in proportion to the population 
in the United States. ^ 

Industries. — 1 cotton factory, 6 cotton compresses, 1 ' 
bagging and cordage factory, 1 lace factory, 1 rope and 
twine factory, railroad shops and foundries, 1 pickle factory 
1 barrel factory, 1 flour mill (the largest in the State), 1 ru 
mill, 13 wholesale groceries, 2 wholesale dry goods houses, 1 
wholesale notion house, 1 wholesale clothing 








house, the largest lithograph and printing Views in Galve.ston.-i, FreiKhter at 

, • ., o 4.1. o- -It Wharf. 2. Bathing: }'avihon. 3, Beach at 

house m the South, 2 mimense grain elevators, Galveston. 4, Ocean Freighter Landing. 

1 coal elevator. 5, children on Beach. 6, Bathing Scene. 



172 



.■ One of the largest hospitals in the 
^i^ South is located at Galveston, also an 
^? orphan's home, an old woman's home, and 
numerous other charitable institutions. 
The principal hotels are the Beach, Tre 
mont and Grand. The Beach is a summer 
resort unsurpassed anywhere on the Gulf or Atlantic 
coast. There are numerous tropical gardens, public 
parks and drives in the city, providing ample 
recreation for visitors and residents. 

Galveston, an all v?car IF^caltb IRcsort. 

"Strawberries, nice ripe strawberries." It 
was the voice of a child, at a station between 
Houston and Galveston, the time was Jan- 
uary 16th, 1894. To the tourist from tlu' 
North who had left zero weather but a few da}s 
previous, tlie sound seemed strange, and ii 
was not till with the assistance of my wife and -, 
little boy that a box of "nice ripe strawberries' ' 
had disappeared, that the full meaning of the 
announcement was realized. If the reader 
would but stop a moment and consider the 
, combination of conditions essential to the 
production of ripe strawberries in the open air 
January, scarcely anything more need be sa 
upon the subject of the climate of Southern Tex 
and Galveston ; but for fear that the average 
reader will not consider this point, I will add that 
looking out of the car window (after eating the 
berries) we found we had entered a land of 
roses as well, for in one field alone there must 
have been at least two acres of beautiful 
flowers, while the gardens and "truck" farms were green with the 
growing vegetables of every description. This is a section which 
I had supposed was a wet, swampy, malaria-breeding waste; 
supposed so because I had been told so; but regarding which 
the facts will bear out the statement, that between Houston and 
Galveston there is scarcely an acre, certaiidy not one in five 
hundred, of land unavailable as garden and fruit land, and a 
section fast being developed and made the homes of prosperous 
and thrifty people, where a few years ago the "Texas Steer" was 
monarch of all he surveyed. But it is of Galveston as a health 
resort that I would speak more particularly. Having entered 
the city through a vestibule of roses, I will try to state the facts 
without coloring, as they appear to me after a careful inquirj- among 
a number of the older and able members of the medical profession of 
the city. Galveston is built upon an island (two 
miles from mainland, lat. 29° 17^ north) , of shells 
and sand, probably a creation of comparatively 
recent years, as it is but some twenty -seven 
miles in length and two to three miles in width, 
and lacks tliose vegetable and forest produc- 
tions which would indicate great age. The 
soil being of that absorbent nature which 
would eventually, if not carefully pro- 
tected from contamination, become 





Views i.>j G.-vlveston 

1, St. Patrick's Clninh. 

2, Island City Protes- 
taut Church. 3, Grace 
Church. 4, Park and 
Cathedral. 5, Res. West 
Broadway. 6, Winter 
Street Scene. 7. Resi- 
dence. S, Street Scene. 
•', .Sacred Heart Acad. 
10, Street Scene. 11. On 
I Street. 12. Residence 
on Kast Broadway. 





-^^ 



unwholesome and the source of diseases 
of a zymotic character, although nature 
does furnish to great extent protection 
against this by the presence of salt water 
at a moderate depth underlying the entire 
island, which at times of exceedingly 
high tides comes nearer the surface and 
has undoubtedly a highly sanitary effect 
upon the soil. * * * * 

The combination of favorable condi- 
tions, a naturally dry soil, large propor- 
tion of sunshine and almost constant 
sea breeze, render Galveston one of 
the healthiest of cities, as the records 
show that it is. Owing to its location 
the climate of Galveston is essentially 
marine as well as semi-tropical, and the 
mainland for twenty-five to thirty miles 
is so cut up by bays and bayous as to 
partake of the same general character. 
The peculiarities of the climate of Gal- 
veston and vicinity are not generally 
known even in Texas, for in a seven 
weeks' visit to other portions of Texas 
during the past summer, I did not get 
any adequate idea of its true character- 
istics; on the contrary I imbibed some 
very erroneous ideas regarding it. With 
semi-tropical and marine influences, 
Galveston should have a very equable 
climate, with comparatively cool sum- 
mers and warm winters, and by studying 
the meteorological data which has been 
very carefully compiled and published 
by Dr. I. M.'Cline, local official of the 
U. S. Weather Bureau at this point, it 
will be found that 
this is true. * * 

The average diur- 
nal range is 10.5°. 
The average per 
cent of moisture in 
the atmosphere is 
77, the amount rang- 
ing from 70 to 80 
percent, often going 





above M(J, but rarely falling below 70 per 
cent. The annual precipitation is 54.48 
inches, falling on 108 days and as a rule 
in showers which last but a short time 
and are followed by clear and invigorat- 
ing weather. Continued cloudy and 
foggy periods are very rare. There are 
an average of 318 daj-s out of each year 
that the sun shines some portion of the 
day, from which it will be seen that 
while there is an unusual amount of 
moisture, sunshine, the great purifier of 
the air, is abundant. The prevailing 
winds are from the south and southeast, 
with an average velocity varying from 
eight to twenty miles per hour. To this 
wind, coming as it does off the Gulf of 
Mexico, free from any impurities, Gal- 
veston owes to a great extent its salu- 
brious and equable climate. The im- 
pression that severe tropical storms are 
frequent at Galveston is erroneous, the 
fact being that but little danger from 
such source need be apprehended. A 
careful study of the above conditions 
will present some attractive features of 
climate to the health and pleasure seeker, 
and the mortality tables at Galveston 



Views 
IN Galveston. 

1, Longest Bridge in 
World, Spanning 
Galveston Bay. 

2, Street, showing 
Cotton Exchange. 

3, Street, showing 
Masonic Temple. 

4, Tremont Street, 
showing Tremont 
Hotel. 

5, The Wholesale 
Business Center. 



confirm what the meteorological condi- 
tions indicate — exceptional healthfulness, 
the average annual death rate being 
about 15 per 1,000 inhabitants, distrib- 
uted among the various diseases as fol- 
lows: Consumption, 1 in 14 deaths; 
pneumonia, 1 in 22; infantile convul- 
sions, 1 in 22; valvular disease of the 
heart, 1 in 29; tetanus, 1 in 30; con- 
gestive fever, 1 in 32; meningitis, 1 in 
35; congestion of brain, 1 in il \ entero- 
colitis, 1 in 40; enteritis, 1 in 50; chol- 
era infantum, 1 in 53; cerebral hemor- 
rhage, 1 in 55; congestion of lungs, 1 
in 60; typhoid fever, 1 in 65; dysentery, 
1 in 70; general tuberculosis, 1 in 80; 
old age, 1 in 83; diphtheria, 1 in 100, 
and from all other diseases the rate is 
less than 1 in 100 deaths. Consumption 
leads, but is considerably less than the 
average proportion of deaths from this 
disease for the world. Of the zymotic 
diseases it will be observed that typhoid 
fever yields but 1 death in 65, diphtheria 
but 1 in 100, and all the other fevers of 
this class less than 1 in 100. No epi- 
demic diseases have visited Galveston 
since 1870. Periodical fevers do not 
occur to any extent worthy of notice, 
and in fact are almost entirely absent, 
nothwithstanding the impression to the 



phthisis, but the Concensus of opinion 
is that it is an unsafe climate for 
such cases. Many cases of old pneu- 
monias, when the lungs have not cleared 
up, have been benefited here, and 
especially if there is any heart compli- 
cation do they seem to do well here. 
Rheumatism, unless of the nervous 
variety, is not generally benefited here; 
in fact many cases do badly, although 
acute articular rheumatism is very rare 
as originating hefe, which is also true 
of consumption. 

Chronic Bright's disease is not bene- 
fited, as the excessive humidity tends to 
prevent rather than encourage activity 
of the skin, and thus to add to rather 
than relieve the disabled kidneys' work. 
Among the diseases which may be sent 
here with confidence of marked benefit, 
first to be mentioned are the neuroses 
generally, but especially neurasthenia 
and all those cases of worn out men and 
women who have never learned to be 
lazy, but have driven themselves (and 
their friends) to the point where, like 
the wheels of a locomotive on a slippery- 
track without sand, every effort only 
wears out the machiner}', without accom- 
plishing anything. Here this class of 
patients will get lazy and find themselves 
sleeping sixteen hours a day 
1 and living to eat in spite of 
themselves. Low altitude, 
humidity of atmosphere, 
soothing sea breezes, and the 
general soothing effect of the 
easy southern life, all tend to 
slow down the irritable heart 
and brain, and bring about 




contrary 
so com- 
mon 1 V 
held by 
people 
unac- 
quainted 
with the 
facts. 

Regard- 
ing its more specific claims 
as a health resort, I fin ' 
that there is unanimity > 
opinion among the physi 
cians that pulmonary p.i- 
tients as a class do not d<> 
well here. Especially is 
this true of tuberculosis in 
anything approaching ad- 
vanced stages. There have been some 
cases of arrest at least of supposed 




ViKws IN Galveston. 

1. Te.xas Star Flour Mills. 

2, Galveston Cotton and Woolen 
Mills. 

3. Galveston BaKginsr Mills. 

4, Moody Compress. 

5. Coal Elevator and Cotton 
Wharf. 




that state of rest which is the onh' sal- 
vation of this class of patients. 

As already intimated, heart affections 
are greatly benefited by the general con- 
ditions pertaining to Galveston. Many 
patients who have been sent to Colorado 




and found the high altitudes too severe 
a strain, have found great relief here. 
Many asthmatics, and most sufferers 
from hay fever, find almost instant relief 
in the pure and salt-laden breezes from 
off the Gulf. Dyspeptics, especially of 
the nervous variety, are greatly benefited. 
In addition to the climate advantages, 
the seeker after health, if inclined to 
indulge in hunting or fishing, will find 
here every advantage for gratifying such 
tastes, as the numerous bays and bayous 
are full of fish, and aquatic game in 
season. The city furnishes every facility 
for diversion and recreation to be found 
in any city of advanced civilization and 
many that can only be had at a sea 
coast resort. Surf bathing in January 
would seem to the Northern 
tourist to be rushing the sea- 
son somewhat, but the surf 
has been well patronized by 
bathers nearly every day dur- 
ing my visit, there being many 
Northern ladies among the bath- 

The "Norther" is what at the 
North would be called a "cold 
snap," ushered in by rain (a wet 
Norther) and high wind for a 
few hours with a rapidly 

falling temperature, and i i 

is decidedly disagreeable, 
though no more so than 
the cold rainy days so often 
experienced at the 



-<f<¥Cir';|5g 




North. It is noticed more here, as it 
usually breaks suddenly into a "spell" 
of continued fine weather such as I had 
experienced during my stay previous to 
January 24th. 

The following table shows the notable 
Northers of each winter at Galveston for 
the past twenty-three years, by which it 
will be seen that there were six years in 
which the temperature did not descend 
to the freezing point. The record of cold 
snaps in Galveston since 1870, a period 
of twenty-three years, is as follows: 

Deg. F. 

lS71--December 1 37.0 

1S72— December 25 27.0 

1873— January 29 21.0 

1874— January— 34.0 

1875— Januarv 10— 24.0 

1876— January 29 26.0 

1877— January 1 30.0 

1879— January 6 23.0 

1880— December 29 18.0 

1881— January 10 28.0 

1882— December 17 34.0 

1883— January 21 20.0 

1884— January 8 22.0 

1885— January 17 23.0 

1886— January 8 11.0 

1887— January 10 23.5 

1888— January 16 23.0 

1889— Januarv 27 32.0 

1890— March 'l 30.0 

1891— February 10 34.0 

1892— December 27 24.8 

1893 — January 16 and December 4 . 37.0 

1894— January 24 24.6 

The newspaper reports show that while 
the cold wave of January 24, 1894, was 
very general and severe, it was less 
severe at Galveston than almost any 
other point in Texas, and while injuring 
the early berry and vegetable crops it 
served only to hold back the general fruit 
buds from premature development and 
probable injury later in the season. 
I have spoken thus fulh' of the 
"Norther" because it is a matter of 
dread to many, but with the proper 
attention to clothing and housing 
I could see nothing about it to 
compare with days at a time of 
*\ such weather so often experi- 
^\ enced in nearly every sec- 

i\ tion of the North. 

^ _ ■'^- F- McKay, 

,^^., ^_ M.T)., Chicago, 

»|i 111 . — American 

■li :\ Climates and 

« Resorts 




Dickinson, population 500, has Meth- 
odist and Catholic churches and public 
school. Dickinson is located almost 
midway between Houston and Galveston 
on the line of the I. cS: G. N. R. R., on 
a ridge between the Dickinson Bayou 
and Clear Creek, and is one of the most 
desirable spots in south Texas. The 
climate is mild and healthy. The water 
supph' is derived from springs, surface 
wells and artesian wells, artesian water 
being obtained in abundance at from 400 
to 600 feet. 

The soil around Dickinson is a loam, 
somewhat sandy, with abundance of the 
minerals necessary to fertility, and with 
great absorbing power. It will, with 
proper cultivation, yield more market- 
able products than any other section of 
the State. 

Dickinson is convenient to 
two of the best markets of 
Texas, Houston and Galveston ; 
being only about 25 miles 
from either. 

The Dickinson picnic 
grounds are located just op- 
posite the I. & G. N. depot. 
They are pre-eminently the 
picnic grounds of the South, 



and every season draw immense crowds 
from Houston and Galveston. Ample 
shelter, an immense pavilion, race course, 
boating course, etc., have been provided 
by the management. 

The Texas Coast Fair Grounds are Jo- 
cated at Dickinson, on which a large 
amount of money has already been 
spent, and new improvements are being 
added each year. This fair is held each 
season for the express purj^ose of giving 
to the world ocular and accurate infor- 
mation about the resources of this section . 



XTbe Ueias Coast Ifruit Belt. 

This belt extends along the coast many 
miles, and is about 40 miles wide, from 
a few miles south of Houston, almost to 
the Gulf coast; a few years ago was 
considered fit for nothing but 
cattle grazing, but of 
recent 





year^- 

lias developed 

wonderfully until n o w it 
stands the peer of any sec- 
tion in the variety of its 
l^roducts. It is traversed 
directly 1)y the International 
& Great Northern Railroad 
affording ample railroad 
facilities for reaching North- 
ern and Eastern markets. 
The soil is mellow, sandy 
loam with clay subsoil, easily cul- 
tivated, and especially adapted to 
growth of fruits and vegetables. The 
entire section is subirrigated, enabling 
it to stand the dryest sea.sons, 
and bv reason of its proximity to 
the Gulf, ample rainfall is assured. 
A few of the best products of this 
section are mentioned below. 



Views in Dickinson. 

1. Marianua Plum Orchard. 

2. Onions, Beans, etc. 

3. Vegetables with Peaches. 




Oranges. — Some little attention 
has of late been given to the 
cultivation of oranges. Only 
the more hardy varieties, how- 
ever, yield a sufficient profit. 






Pe.\RS. — Probably the most 
profitable of the fruits here 
grown, yielding large crops, 
and standing well shipment 
for long distances. The best varieties at 
present grown are the Keiffer and Le 
Conte. They are easily propagated from 
cuttings and are very healthy and pro- 
ductive, being almost entirely free from 
l)light. The trees begin bearing in the 
third or fourth year, and by the sixth 
are capable of returning $400 to |600 
per acre. 

Strawberries. — Also a very profit- 
able crop, and having the additional 
advantage of yielding some return the 
first year. Set out in June or July, they 
will, if properly cultivated, yield the 
following spring. 

Pi.UMS. — Texas is the home of the 
plum, and little else need be said. The 
Coast fruit belt is well represented in 
this staple. 

Grapes. — Many vineyards already in 
cultivation. The quality of the fruit is 
hardly second to California's products. 

Figs. — These grow in greatest pro- 
fusion and find a ready market. 




Vegetables. — Next to fruit growing, 
the raising of market vegetables for the 
Northern and Eastern markets is the 
most profitable industry of this section. 
The season being ten days to three 
weeks earlier than any other in the 
United States, gives the peculiar advan- 
tage of early markets, and consequent 
high profits. All varieties of garden 
truck find ready market, and almost 
every known vegetable can be raised in 
this section. 

Sugar Cane. — This product forms a 
reliable and profitable crop. 

Ramie. — This fibre plant has been cul- 
tivated with great success. It yields four 
crops per j'ear, and a total of about ten 
thousand pounds of fibre per acre. 



Near Dickinson. 

1, Vegetable and Fruit Farm. 

2, Blackberry Patch. 

3, Peas and Beans. 






ilSrasoiia CouiU\), ^ciae. 

THIS county has an area of 1,440 square 
miles, with a population of 15,000. It 
is one of the Gulf Coast counties, and 
is on the edge of the great 
Texas Coast Fruit Belt. It is 
traversed north and south by 
the International & Great 
Northern Railroad. The sur- 
face of the county is level, 
about one-half being covered 
with timber, principally oak, 
walnut, pecan, cotton wood 
and sycamore. The soil is 
exceedingly rich, and w-ell 
adapted for the raising of all 
cereals. The peo- 
ple are mostly en- 
gaged in farming, 
fruit raising and 
stock raising. It 
is well watered by 
the Brazos and Ber- 
nard Rivers, Oyster 
Creek and numer- 
ous bayous. The 
assessed value of 
propertv in 1894 
was $6, 763, 170. Im- 
proved lands sold 
at from $6 to |20 
per acre, and unim- 
proved at from $4 
to $8 per acre. The 
average taxable 
value was $4.31 per 
acre. Forty -one 

mortgages, amounting to $135,510, are on 
record. There are 482 farms, 325 renters on 
farms, and 1,856 farm laborers, with average 
wages of $13 per month. About 55 per cent 
of the total production of the county is cotton, 
the balance is devoted to sweet potatoes, sugar 
cane, corn, peas, beans and hay. Strawberries 
are a great grower, and with improved ship- 
ping facilities this county will be one of the 

largest strawberry shipping points in the State. There aix (,, .lOo in peaches, 34 
acres in plums, 1,607 acres in pears, 75 acres in melons, 430 acres in garden 
and 2,530 grape vines; 7,033 horses and mules, 51,024 cattle, 525 sheep and 
2,406 hogs. 

BusiXKSS— There is 1 National bank, with a capital stock of |50, 000, 116 mercantile 
establishments, 5 saw mills, 1 ice factory, 1 cotton seed oil mill and 8 .sugar houses. 
Velasco, at the mouth of the Brazos River, is one of the principal deep water ports 
on the Gulf Coast, and its harbor is being deepened every year; the exporting from 
this point is already very considerable. 



Views in Colcmbia and Vicinity— 1, Near Columbia. 
River Front. 



Truck Farm. 3. Shipping Logs. 




Churches — The Baptist, Methodist, Presby- 
terian, Christian and Catholic denominations 
all have church representation at various points 
in the county. 

ScHOOLS^There are 70 public schools with 69 
teachers, and a school population of 3,467. 

principal Zowns in Brasoria Counti^ 
1Rcacbe& b^ tbe H. S. (3. 1R. 1R. 1R. 

Sandy Point, population 50, principally engaged in farming, 
and raising cotton and sugarcane, fruits and vegetables. Average price of lumber, 
S^12 per 1,000; fuel — wood 11.50 per cord. The water supply is plentiful and of fair 
quality. It has 1 Methodist church and 1 public school. 

Chenango, population 100, principally engaged in farming, and raising cotton and 
sugarcane, fruits and vegetables. Lumber sells at $14 per 1,000; fuel — wood$1.50per 
cord. The water supply is fair. There is one Methodist church for white people, and 
a Baptist and Methodist church for colored people, and 1 public school for white 
children. 

Columbia, population 1,000, principally engaged in farming and stock raising. 
Average price of lumber, $16 per 1,000; fuel — wood $2 per cord. Wells furnish the 
water supply for cattle, and cisterns furnish water for other purposes. There is a 
Presbyterian and Methodist church, 2 public schools and 1 private school. 

The Brazos River is navigable to Columbia for boats of light draft; above Colum- 
bia it is navigable at some seasons of the year for steamboats, and is utilized for 
barging cotton from the river plantations to Columbia. 

Velasco — The opening of the mouth of the Brazos, by the building of jetties, so 
that ocean vessels can reach Velasco, only five miles from deep water, has taken 
the export cotton trade, which used to leave the river at Columlna and go by rail 
to Houston and Galveston, largely to Velasco, where it is shipped direct. The 

jetties at Velasco, however, are 

— not fully completed at present, 

and until the}' are extended 
sufficiently to deepen the water in 
the channel to 22 or 23 feet, the 
larger ocean vessels cannot enter 
the port. The building of these 
jetties has been carried on by 
private capital, and has, conse- 
(juentl}', been somewhat delayed 
l)y the hard times, but those who 
are behind the enterprise claim 



they can obtain sulfu lent capital 
to complete the improvements, 
and make Velasco one of the first 
class ports of the Gulf. Velasco 
at the present time has a popula- 
tion of about 1,000. 

Brazoria, the county seat of 
Brazoria County, has a population 
of al)out 500, engaged principally 
in agricultural pursuits and cattfe 
raising. 




ViKws IN Velasco— 1. Lake Bend. 2, Velasco 
Hotel. 3, Scene in Velasco. 4. The Jetties. 




%con County, TIcrae. 




THIS county has an area of 1,049 square miles, and a population of 15,000. 
The San Antonio Division of the International & Great Northern Railroad 
passes through the northern portion of the county. The county is well 
watered by the Trinity and Navasota Rivers, their tributaries, and several small 
lakes and springs. The soil is white sandy and red loam, and yields well under 
cultivation. Farming is the chief employment, although there are several stock 
ranches which are being operated with profit. The county is 
well wooded with post oak, blackjack, pine and hickory, the last 
two predominating. Improved lands $2 to $7, unimproved $1 to $4 
per acre. The assessed value of property in 1894 was 1^1,997,785. 
Average taxable value 1^1.74 per acre. County tax rate 65 cents 
on the $100. There were 15 mortgages on record in 1894, amount- 
ing to 113,749. 1,803 farms are under cultivation; 840 renters on 
farms; 516 farm laborers, average wages $9 per month. There 
are 5,696 horses and mules, 20,365 cattle, 390 sheep, and 25,125 
hogs in the county. Cotton is 60 per cent of the crop product, 
corn 20 per cent, and oats, sweet potatoes, Irish potatoes, peas, 
beans and sorghum making up the balance. There are 261 
acres in peaches, 18 acres in plums, 20 acres in apples, 
190 acres in melons, and 230 acres in gardens. 

BusiNiiSS — 45 mercantile establishments, 1 saw mill, 
and 1 broom factory. 

Churches — The Baptist, Methodist and Presby- 
terian denominations are represented. 

ScHOOi,s— There are 90 school buildings, with 97 
teachers, and a school population of 3,855. There 
are 12,082 acres of school lands in the county. 

Ilowns in Xcon County, 
on tbcir.c^G.IR.IR.IR. 

Oakwoods — Population 7iii 
principally engaged in farming 
and stock raising. Lumber sells 
at 515 per thousand. Water 
supply is abundant, and of the 
very best quality. The Baptist 
and Methodist denominations 






Views in and 

.•\ROI'N'D Jewett. 



have churches. There 
is 1 public school. 
Fuel wood, f:i.50 per 
cord. 
Buffalo— Population 750, 
princi])ally engaged in agri- 
culture. Water abundant, and 
of very best qualitv. Lumber 
|15 per thousand. Wood, 52.50 
per cord. The Cumberland Pres- 
byterians, Baptists and Method- 
ists have churches. There is 1 
public school. 

Jewett — Population 550, prin- 
cipally engaged in farming and stock raising. Water is of good 
quality, and plentiful. Lumber, fl5 per thousand. Fuel wood, 
f2 per cord. Has a Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian and Chris- 
tian church, and 1 public school. 

Marquez — Population 200, principally engaged in agriculture. 
Water supply good. Lumber, $15 per thousand. Fuel wood, $2 
l^er cord. Has 1 Baptist, 1 Christian, and 1 Presbyterian church, 
and 1 public school. 



181 



IRobcrteon Counti^, 

THIS county has an area 
of 850 square miles, and 
a population of 30,000. 
The county is traversed from 
the northeast to the south- 
west, nearly through the 
center of the county, by the 
International & Great North- 
ern Railroad. The Houston 
& Texas Central, and the 
Hearne & Brazos Valley Rail- 
way also run through the county. The 
Brazos River forms the western bound- 
ary of the county, and the Navasota 
River the eastern boundary. Besides 
these there are numerous streams and 
small lakes, giving an abundant and 
never failing water supply. The sur- 
face of the county is slightly rolling, 
with level bottom lands along the 
streams. The land is well timbered 
and very productive, the soil being dark 
and red loam. There are no minerals 
of any 
value dis- 
co v e r e d 
in this 
coun ty , 
but there 
havelx-en 
f o u n d, 
numerous 
mineral 
springs 
with wa- 
ters hav- 
ing super- 
ior medi- 
cinal val- 
ue. The assessed value or ]>roperi\- iii 
1894 was $5,798,770, and the county rate 
of taxes 40 cents on the $100. Improved 
lands can be bought at from $5 to $30 
per acre; unimproved at from $2 to $10 
])er acre. The average taxable value is 
$4.95 per acre. There are 62 mortgages 
amounting to $111,979 on record. There 
are 1,420 farms under cultivation in the 
county; 1,655 persons in the county are 
renters; 1,059 farm laborers, receiving 
average wages of $15 per month. Cot- 
ton is 70 per cent of the total crop 
product; the value of the cotton crop 
in this county in 1894 being $1,290,800. 
Corn, sweet potatoes, oats, sugar-cane, 
peas and pecans are al.so largely pro- 
duced. 

The average product, per acre, of the 
land in this county is ^ to 1 bale of 
cotton, 35 bushels of corn, 50 busli- 





VlEW^S 

IN Hearne. 

1 , Business Street, 
Compress in dis- 
tance. 

2, Public School. 

3, Residence. 



eis oi oats and 100 bushels of Irish 
potatoes. 

Peaches produce well and there are 367 
acres planted with peach trees, 20 acres 
in apples, 25 acres in plums, 14 acres in 
pears, 67 acres in melons, and 183 acres 
in gardens. Considerable attention is 
paid to grape culture, and there are 8,048 
grape vines in the county. There are 
9,933 horses and mules, 18,062 cattle, 
2,125 sheep, 660 goats, and 15,670 hogs 
in the county. 

Business — There is 1 national bank, 
with capital stock of $100,000; 141 mer- 
cantile establishments, 2 wholesale deal- 
ers, and 1 ice factory. 

Churches — The population of Robert- 
son County is largely connected with 
religious denominations, and the Baptist, 
Methodist, Presbyterian, Christian, Epis- 
copal, Cumberland Presbyterian, Primi- 



tive Baptist and Catholic denominations 
all have churches. 

Schools— There are 117 school houses 
with 127 teachers, and a school popula- 
tion of 6,280. 

Xlowns in IRobertsoii (lountv on 
tbe IF. c^ G. 1R. 1R. IR. ^ 

Lake, population 50, engaged in agri- 
culture. Water supply freestone and 
very abundant. Lumber sells at |;i5 per 
thousand. Fuel to 
be had for the cut- 
ting. Has a Bap- 
tist, Christian and 
Methodist church 
adjacent to the town , 
and 2 public schools 
that are adjacent. 

Easterly, popula- 
tion 200, engaged in 
agriculture. Water 
supply of the best 
quality and abun- 
dant. Lumber sells at $16 per thousand. 
Has 1 Union church, and 1 public school. 

New Baden, population 100, engaged 
in agriculture. Water supply of good 
quality. Lumber sells at f 16 per thous- 
and. >uel— wood, 11.50 to $2 per cord. 
Methodist,Baptist and Christian churches 
near the town, and 1 public school. 

Franklin, population 1,250, principally 
engaged in farming and stock raising. 
This town is the county seat. Lumber 
sells at $12.50 per thousand. Water 
supply of good quality and ample. 
There is a Baptist, Christian and INIeth- 
odist church, and 2 large public schools. 
The county court house is a very hand- 
some structure that cost $40,000; a very 
safe jail that cost |12,000, and a poor 
farm that cost 16,000, are the public 
institutions of the county. 

Elliott, population 100, engaged in 
agriculture. Water supply good. Fuel — 
wood $2 per cord. Has a Baptist and 
Methodist church, and 1 public school. 



Hearne, population 3,000, principally 
engaged in farming, stock raising and 
manufacturing. Hearne is the junction 
of the International & Great Northern 
Railroad with the Houston & Texas 
Central Railway. The water supply is 
artesian and surface wells and running 
springs. Lumber, $17 per thousand. 
Fuel — wood $2 per cord. There is 1 
large cotton compress and oil mill lo- 
cated at Hearne. 

The religious denominations are rep- 




OiL Mill a i ii 



resented by Catholic, Presbyterian, 
Episcopal, Baptist and Methodist 
churches; 1 public school for white 
children, and 1 for colored, also 1 
academy. 

Railroad 1'\\cilitik.s — Hearne has 
unequalled railroad facilities in every 
direction. The International & Great 
Northern Railroad giving it an outlet 
for San Antonio and the Southeast, and 
to New Orleans and St. Louis to the 
Northeast; and the Houston & Texas 
Central Railway giving it close connec- 
tion for Houston and Galveston to the 
South, and Dallas to Fort Worth, Deni- 
son, St. Louis, Kansas City and Chicago 
to the North. 

The products of Robertson County, 
particularly fruits, can be increased to 
an unlimited extent, and Hearne is a 
good location for preserving or canning 
works, or any point in the county for 
the raising of fruits and vegetables for 
the early markets. 




Cotton Field — Kohkktson Cotntv 



183 





Views in Rockdale 



1, Hrickyards and Oil Mill. 2, New City Hall. 
3, Public School. 4, Baptist Church. 



^ilam Count!?, 'CTcxae. 

AREA 1,000 square miles. Population 
30,000. The surface of western portion 
is rolling, and, in many places, hilly 
and broken. The soil of the bottom lands is 
rich loam, producing cotton, corn, sugar 
cane and other products abundantly. The 
population is principally engaged in farming 
and stock raising, both of which are very prof- 
itable. The Inter- 
1 national & Great 
i Northern Railroad 
passes through this 
county from east to 
west, and the Gulf, 
Colorado & Santa Fe 
Railway, crossing at 
Milano, passes 
through the county 
from north to south. 
The assessed value 
of property in 1894 
was |7', 493, 508. 
The county 
rate of taxes 60 
cents on the $100. 
Improved lands 
are sold at from $3 to $25 per acre, unimproved at from $2 to $12 
])er acre. Average taxable value $2.72 per acre. There are 94 
mortgages, amounting to $176,000, on record; 1,096 farms under 
cultivation in the county ; 863 people rent lands for farming pur- 
poses; 573 laborers, receiving average wages of $15 per month. 
Cotton is 60 per cent of the total crop, corn 30 per cent, followed 
by oats, potatoes, millet, hay, sorghum, peas and beans. Peaches are great pro- 
ducers in this count}', and 335 acres are planted in peach trees, 12 acres in plums, 
90 acres in melons, and 112 acres in gardens; and there are 374 grape vines in the 
county. Considerable attention is paid to stock raising, and it has been found a 
very profitable business. There are 15 270 horses and mules, 27,865 cattle, 1,206 
sheep, and 19,842 hogs. 

Business — There is 1 private bank, and 2 national banks, with a total capital 
stock of $250,000; 82 mercantile establishments, 2 wholesale dealers, 2 saw mills, 
and 2 ice factories. 

Churches — This county has churches of nearly all religious denominations, and 
the moral tone is of the highest. The Presbyterian, Cumberland Presbyterian, 
Methodist, Baptist, Episcopal, Catholic and Jewish religions are all represented by 
church edifices. 

Schools — There are 105 school houses, with 118 teachers, and a school popula- 
tion of 6,026. There are 4,726 acres school lands for sale in the county. 

Adviceto Home-Seekers — In selecting a locality in which to locate a new home 
too great care cannot be exercised. Not only should the climate, soil, water, cheap- 
ness of fuel, accessibility of markets, and the nature of the products be satisfactory, 
but the social and religious surroundings in which one's family will be forced to live. 
All of the great essentials enumerated above are found in Milam County, Texas. Its 
excellent soil will ])roduce in abundance anything that will grow in the climate. 
The water is plentiful, and of the best quality; fuel is cheap, in fact cheaper than 
at any other point in Texas, with possibly the exception of one; railroad facilities 




MIttlll'''""""'""" "♦''•••MrtllHIlJl^''" "" Jjtt 



7% 



>i"^>S^f^ W t" 




Cattle Scknk, near Rockdale. 



are unsurpassed; timber is plentiful; 
excellent stone for building purposes can 
be found in almost any portion of the 
county; building materials are cheap; 
the tax rate of the county is very low, 
but beside all these necessar}' advantages 
this county is unsurpassed for the atten- 
tion paid to religious and educational in- 
stitutions. 

XIowiis in /IDilam Countv on 
tbe II. «X (3. 1R. IR. 1R. 

Cause — Population 300, principally en- 
gaged in farming and stock raising. The 
water supply is abundant, and of good 
quality. Lumber sells at |il5 to $20 per 
thousand, and fuel wood, $2 per cord. 
There is a Methodist and Baptist church 
located here, and 1 public school for 
white children, and 1 for colored chil- 
dren. 

Milano — Population 500, principally 
engaged in farming, stock raising, coal 
mining and horticulture. Milano is the 
junction of the International & Great 
Northern Railroad with the Gulf, Colo- 
rado & Santa Fe Railway. The water 
supply is abundant, and of good cjuality. 
Lumber sells at $15 per thousand. Fuel 
wood, $2 per cord. There is 1 Methodist 
church for white people, and 1 for 
colored; a Baptist, Presbyterian, 
Cumberland Presbyterian and Chris- 
tian church. There are 2 public 
schools. Milano is a strict prohibi- 
tion town. 

Rockdale — Population 3,000, princi- 
pally engaged in agriculture and coal 
mining. This point is the junction of 



the International & Great Northern 
Railroad with the San Antonio & Aran- 
sas Pass Railway. Water supply is of 
the very best, both as to quality and 
quantity. There are several very large 
coal mines within a short distance of 
Rockdale; there is also a press brick 
plant and a cotton seed oil mill located 
here. Lumber sells at $16 per thousand. 
Fuel — coal $1 per ton, wood $2 per cord. 
There is a Baptist, Methodist, Presby- 
terian, Christian and Catholic church 
located here; 1 large public school, an 
auxiliary of the State Uniccrsity. 

Public Buildings — Rockdale has a 
beautiful City Hall, which was con- 
structed at a cost of $12,000. 

Thorndale has a population of 200, 
principally engaged in agricul- 
ture. The water supply is 
good. Lumber sells at $12 
perthousand. Wood, $1 to 
L.50 per cord. There is 
a Baptist and German 
Lutheran church located at 
this place, and 2 Englislu.^ 
and 1 German school. 





Homes at Rockdale. 







XllDlilliameon County), 
'Jleias, 



AREA, 1,197 square miles; population, 30,000. Williamson County is traversed 
from northeast to southwest by the International & Great Northern Railroad, 
with the Georgetown Branch running from Round Rock to Georgetown, a 
distance of about ten miles. The western portion of the county is also traversed 
from north to south by the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railway. The surface of the 
county is mostly prairie, about one-fourth being timbered with oak, pecan, cedar 
and elm. The soil is stiff, black waxy, and very productive. Farming is the 
principal occupation, and is carried on more extensively in this county 
than in almost any other portion of the State. Stock raising, fruit and 
garden farming is also engaged in and found very profitable. The 
assessed value of the county in 1894 was $12,126,780, and the county 
rate of taxes 28 1-3 cents on the $100. Improved lands readily 
bring from |20 to $35 per acre, and unimproved from $2 to $20 
per acre; average taxable value, $8.55 per acre. Cotton is 
70 per cent of the total crop product, and the value of cotton 
produced in this county reaches nearly $2,000,000 a year. 
Corn, oats, sweet potatoes, sorghum, millet and liarley all pro- 
luce well, and their cultivation is steadily 
There were 176 mortgages, amounting 
recorded in 1894; 1,764 farms under 
and 1,082 persons renting lands for 
purposes; 724 farm laborers, receiv- 
wages of $12 per month. Peaches are 
failing producers in the county and are largely grown, 694 
ing planted in peach trees, 12 acres in plums, 14 acres 
43 acres in melons and 600 acres in gardens, and 
there are 6,500 grape vines. Stock raising in 
this county is found very profitable, and the 
number of animals is exceedingly 
large for the size of the county. 
There are 23,243 horses and mules, 
42,446 cattle, 24,000 sheep, 346 ^J.;-- 




1 ncrea sing, 
to $250,000, 
cultivation, 
farming 
ing average 
almost un- 
acres be- 
in pears. 



goats, and 19,349 hogs. " i^^ 

Business — There are 4 private ^ 
banks and 3 National banks in '* 
the countv, with a capital stock 
of $460,000; 136 mercantile ^ 

Views in Taylor. 

1 , Bu.siness Street. 

2, College. 

3, Church. 




establishments, 1 flour mill and 2 ice fac- 
tories. 

Churchks — The Bajitist, Methodist. Pres- 
byterian, Cumberland Presbyterian, Catho- 
lic, Episcopal and Christian denominations 
are represented by church l)uildings. 

Schools — In the county outside of the 
cities, there are 103 school buildings, with 
124 teachers, and a total school population 
of 6,310. The Southwestern University of 
Texas is located at Georgetown. 

The Gardkn of Texas — There is not, in 
the State of Texas, any farming, fruit or 
vegetable raising landthat excels William- 
son County. The land lies beautifully, 
rolling and well watered, with a soil that 
will produce anything thatisplantedin it, 
in the greatest profusion, i 





Every farm in the 
count}- has a thrifty 
and successful ap- 
pearance to it. The 
farmhouses are sub- 
stantial, well - 
painted, and show ; 
that farming has 
been found profit- 
able. The horses ' 
are of fine breed, 
and the cattle 
have been im- 
proved until stock 
in Wil 1 i a m son 
County is equal 
to stock in the 
best sections of 
Illinois and Ohio. 
The railroad facil- 
ities of the county 
are unexcelled. 
The International 
& Great Northern 
Railroad crossing 

the county in one direction, and the Mis- 
souri, Kansas 8: Texas Railway in 
another; and the Austin & North- 
western Railway passing through the 
western portion of the county for its 
entire length. Other roads are also 
projected, which will give the county 
a most thorough and complete sys- 



tem of railroad transportation. This 
county offers fine opportunities for the 
erection of canning works. Peaches 
are wonderfully productive fruit, and 
seldom fail of bearing; vegetables of 
every character can be produced in 
unlimited quantities, and would ma- 
ture early enough to be sent to the 
northern markets in competition with 
vegetal)les from Alabama, Georgia 
and Florida. The later crops could 
be sold to the canning factories. 
Large profits have been made in 
raising beef cattle for shipment 
east and north, and, ultimately, 
Williamson County and the sur- 
rounding counties will supply 
sufficient live stock for the 
erection at Taylor or some 
other point, of a first class 
packing house. 
The bat caves near George- 
town furnish the best qual- 
ity of guano, the de- 
posit being about 30 
feet deep and almost 
inexhaustible. 



Cowns in MilUam- 
Bon Countv on tbc 
1[. JJ (5. m. 1R. 1R. 
Taylor, popula- 
tion 6,500. This 
point is the junc- 
tion of the Inter- 
national & Great 
Northern Rail- 
road w i t h the 
\ Missouri, Kan- 
'-as & Texas Rail- 
way. The water 
sujjply is abundant, 
and obtained from 
surface and artesian 
w ells and springs. 
Lumber sells at $12 
per thousand; fuel — 
wood, |3.vS0 per cord ; 
coal, $5.50 per ton. 
The Presbyterian, 
Baptist, IMethodist, 
L])iscopal. Catholic 



The Cotton Indistrv 
AT Taylor. 





and Lutheran denominations all liave 
church buildings. There is one large city 
public school. Taylor has the finest rail- 
way station, that of the International & 
Great Northern Railroad, in this section 
of Texas. It has water works, an excel- 
lent fire department, and many large 
mercantile houses. It is the principal 
business point of a large section of 
country, and enjoys a most excellent 
business prosperitj' . 

liutto, population 1,000, principally 
engaged in farming and stock raising. 
Water supply good, and of very fine 
quality. Lumber sells at $15 to $18 per 
thousand; fuel — wood, $4 per cord; coal, 
$6 per ton. 

The Baptist, Methodist Episcopal 
Church vSouth, Presbyterian, Cumber- 
land Presbyterian, Swedish Lutheran 
and Swedish Methodist denominations 
have church edifices. There is 1 large 
pul)lic school. 

Round Rock, population 1,500, prin- 
cipally engaged in farming and stock 
raising. This point is the junction of 
the Georgetown Branch of the Inter- 
national & Great Northern Railroad with 
the main line. 

The water supply is quite plentiful, 
and of good quality. Lumber sells at 
|13 per thousand. Fuel — 
wood , $3 per cord ; 



coal, $6 per ton. There is, at this place, 
a Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Cum- 
berland I'resbyterian and Christian 
church, and 1 puljlic school. 

McNeil — Population 150, principally 
engaged in farming and lime burn- 
ing. This point is the junction 
of the International & Great Northern 
and the Austin & Northwestern Rail- 
roads. 

Georgetown, the county seat, is the 
northern terminus of the branch railroad 
running from Round Rock on the Inter- 
national & Great Northern Railroad, to 
Georgetown. Population about 3,500 
principally engaged in farming and 
stock raising. Water supply ample and 
of fine quality. Lumber |13 a thousand ; 
wood $1.50 to $2 per cord. There are 10 
churches, representing all the principal 
religious denominations; 1 large public 
school, 1 Methodist school, and the 
Southwest Texas University. 

PuBi^ic BuiivDiNGS — The Southwest 
Texas University has two very large and 
commodious buildings. The court house 
is located at this point, and is a sub- 
stantial structure, as are also the jail 
and city hall. There are a number of 
mineral wells 
,.. — - ' " located in the 
suburbsof 
Georgetown, the 
waters of which 
have been ana- 
lyzed, and found 
to be of fine 
medicinal prop- 
erties. 




Farm a.xu R.-\nch 

ScE.vEs nkar Taylor. 





TuK SouTHWKSTKRN Imvi;ksity — 
Located at Georgetown, founded in 1873, 
now has 19 professors, and about 500 
students. This is one of the best con- 
ducted schools in the South. In 1878 a 
department for ladies was added, in the 
interest of higher education. The Uni- 
versity now comprises, also, a "Fitting 
School," which is especially adapted to 
those who have not heretofore had the 
opportunity for proper study, enabling 
them to enter the universities. The 
best of teachers are employed, and the 
same text-books and methods used as in 
the University. There is also a com- 
tnercial college connected with the 
University. A special concession is 
made to those preparing for the ministry. 

TiiK Chautauqua — The Texas Chau- 
taiupia Assembly is one of the great 
Sisterhood of Assemblies, of which the 
original New York Chautauqua is the 
model. The Texas Chautauqua grounds, 
located at Georgetown, embrace about 
200 acres of ground ; has a fine system 
of waterworks, and numerous fountains. 
A splendid temple, floored and seated, 
affords ample accommodation for a vast 
multitude of people. There is am])le 
camp ground, and tents are furnished to 
all applicants at reasonable rates. A 
restaurant and lunch stand is also on 
the grounds. The views shown on this 
page will give some idea of what the 
Texas Chautauqua has accomplished in 
the way of beautifying their grounds. 






1, Public School. 

2, Methodist Church, 

3, The Fountain. 



4, Suspension Bridge. 

5, Temple. 



6. Ladies' Annex, South- 

western University. 

7. Southwestern University. 

8. Southwestern University. 



189 



XTravis County, XTexas, 

THIS county has an area of 1,040 
square miles, and a population of 
50,000. Travis County enjoys the 
distinction of being the county in which 
is located the capitol of the State. The 
surface is generally broken. The Colo- 
rado River passes through the center of 
the county in a southeasterly direction ; 
there are also numerous creeks and 
springs. The principal timber grov^-n 
here is cedar, oak and elm. The soil in 
the river bottoms is a reddish loam, well 
adapted to the culture of fruits, vege- 
tables, cotton and corn. The soil of the 
prairie lands is black, and especially 
suited to cotton, corn, wheat and oats. 
The International & Great Northern 
Railroad passes through the center of 
the county and is crossed at Austin 
by the Houston & Texas Central, and 
the Austin & Northwestern Railroad. 
The assessed value of propertv in 1894, 
was $15,846,290. The county rate of 
taxes, 50 cents on the |100. Improved 
lands sell for from $10 to $60 per acre ; 
and unimproved, from $3 to $20 per acre. 
Average taxable value is $7.10 per acre. 
There were 181 mortgages, amounting 
to $388,000, on record in 1894. 2,471 
farms are under cultivation, and 1,419 
persons rent land for farming and gar- 
dening purposes. 1,916 farm laborers 
are employed and receive average wages 
of $14.60 per month. Cotton is 70 per 




HiRD's-EVE View From Capitol. 

cent of the total farm product, corn 15 
per cent, the remainder oats, potatoes, 
sorghum and millet. The cultivation of 
peaches is largely engaged in, and the 
result is very successful and remunera- 
tive ; there are 993 acres planted in peach 
trees, 72 acres in plums, 210 acres in 
melons and 801 acres in gardens, and 
2,360 grapevines in the county. Stock- 
raising is also extensively carried on 
and has been found very remunerative. 
There are 14,652 horses and mules, 
22,740 cattle, 8,941 sheep, 1,469 goats 
and 9,790 hogs. 

Business — There are 5 banks in the 
county with a capital stock of $800,000. 
297 mercantile establishments, 5 whole- 
sale dealers, 1 cotton mill, 1 churn fac- 
tory and 1 chair factory. 

Churches — Baptist, Catholic, Chris- 
tian, Episcopal, Methodist, Lutheran, 
Jewish, Presbyterian and Cumberland 




State Capitol Aishn. 



Presbyterian denom- 
inations are all rep- 
resented by churches 
in the county. 

Schools — Outside 
of the cities, there 
are 89 school houses, 
with 95 teachers. 
At Austin is located 
the State University, 
St. Mary's Acadeiny, 
also Institutes for 
the Blind, Deaf and 
Dumb. There are 
26,755 acres of school 
lands in the county. 



^owns an& Cities in Gravis Gount^, 
on tbe IF. Si 0. 1R. TR. 1R. 

Duval, population 50, principally en- 
gaged in farming, stock-raising and 
dairying. Lumber sells at $15 per thou- 
sand. Fuel, wood $2.50 per cord. The 
water supply is pure limestone, and 
abundant. The Baptist, Methodist, Pres- 
byterian and Christian denominations 
have churches in, or adjacent to, Duval. 

AUSTIN 

Has a population of 30,000, principally 
engaged in mercantile and manufacturing 
business. Austin, the capital of Texas, 
and one of the most enterprising cities of 
the Lone Star State, is built upon more 
hills than Rome, and derives much pict- 
uresqueness and variety from this 




.SCK.NK UN Cul-OKAUU Kl\l-.K 

fact. The principal street gradually 
rises from the Colorado River to the 
Capitol Building, which occupies a com- 
manding eminence almost in the center 
of the city. This magnificent structure 
stands pre-eminent among the State Cap- 
itols of the nation, as one of the hand- 
somest and most substantial, ranking as 
seventh in size of the large buildings of 
the world. The city is regularly laid 
out, with unusually broad streets and 
avenues, and possesses many handsome 
public buildings and residences. 

Austin is essentialh^ a social city. 
Like all similar places enjoying the 
presence of a Legislature, it has attracted 
the best society element of the State, 
and pos-sesses in a marked degree that 
warmth and hospitality for which our 
Southern people are world-famous. 

The climate is mild and fairly equable, 
with just enough cold weather to remind 




The Dam at .\ustin. 



191 




. lAii: University. 



one that winter is one of the four seasons, but with scarcely a day not suitable 
for outdoor life. During the summer the near presence of Lake McDonald and the 
timbered hills surrounding it, makes Austin in every way desirable for invalids. 

Lake McDonald is comparatively a new feature, and owes its charming existence 
to the great dam recently constructed across the Colorado River, an enterprise 
which is the pride and boast of every citizen. This dam is really one of the 
wonders of the world, over 1,400 feet in length, seventy feet high and sixty feet 
wide at the base. It is built of solid granite, as firm as the everlasting hills, and 
causes a waterfall second in size and beauty to Niagara. The power-house at the 
dam not only supplies the city with water and the most perfect electric lighting 
system in the country, but there is a surplus of 10,000-horse-power available for 
manufacturing purposes, inducing the pro- 
moters of the enterprise to believe that Austin 
is destined to become the greatest manufact- 
uring center in the Southwest. The lake 
formed by the dam is the largest artificial 







lake in the world, being nearly 30 miles long, 
over 1,000 feet in width and 40 to 60 feet 
deep. Its winding, serpentine course and 




thickly 

wooded 

and moun 

t a i n o u s 

shores ren- 

der every 

mile an ever-chanj^ing scene of beauty, 

and its magnificent facilities for boating, 

together with the charming sites for 

cottages, hotels, and camping parties, 

are destined to make it one of the most 

popular resorts in the South. 

At this point the junction of the Inter- 
national & Great Northern R. R. with 
the Houston & Texas Central Ry. and 
the Austin & Northwestern Ry., is made. 

Austin has become a great industrial 
city, and at present has 4 iron foundries, 

5 sheet iron works, 5 carriage and 
wagon works, 3 planing mills, 2 laun- 
dries, 1 flour mill, 1 cotton compress, 
2 boot and shoe factories, 4 saddlery and 
harness factories, 1 broom factory, 

6 printing offices, 1 lime kiln, 3 brick 
3'ards, 2 marble and stone works, 1 soap 
factory, 1 oil mill, 2 bottling works, 
2 stereotype and wood engraving estal)- 
lishments, a great power plant for run- 
ning its water works and electric lights; 
power furnished by an artificial dam 30 
miles long and 1,000 feet in width, 
which forms an artificial lake 25 miles 
long, and furnishes 50,000- horse power. 
The average price of lumber is $16 per 
thousand. The water supply from I^ake 
McDonald is excellent and unlimited. 
There are 23 churches, many -«t 
of them magnificent ''\ 
edifices, in the ^ si' . '* 
city, rep- .^\^ 






n -.1 uiiiii; all t lu inincipal denominations. 
Tlu-re are 14 city schools, and 5,500 
])upils in attendance. In addition to 
these are numerous private and sec- 
tarian schools and colleges, among which 
are St. Kdward's College and St. iMary's 
College. 

PrBi.ic Buildings — The following 

' State institutions are located at 

Austin : The magnificent granite 

Capitol Building, the State 

Deaf Institute, the State Blind 

In.stitute, and the State Asylum 

for indigent colored peo])le. 

HoTKi.S — Austin has one 

magnificent hotel building, 

the Driskill; and also the 

Avenue, Salge and Orr 

Hotels, besides numerous 

smaller hotels and boarding 

houses, at all of which the 

acootniiiodritions are good. 




Views in Austi.n. 
J, St. Mary's Academy 
•," I Churches. 

V ( 

5' j Pretty Resideuce.s. 



198 



Zbc IFuture of Hustiti. 

Twenty or twenty- five years 
ago the manufacturing business 
of the Southern States was 
hardly entitled to considera- 
tion. Perhaps it might be said 
with equal fairness that 50 years 
before that the manufacturing 
business of the Northern States 
was but a small factor in the 
manufacturing world, because 
at that time England was un- 
doubtedly the greatest mani:- 
facturing country. But the 
protective tariff of the United 
States fostered and built up the 
manufacturing industries of 
this country, which were mainly 
located in the Northern States where 
capital was more plentiful and labor 
more easy to obtain, and where, the 
population being much greater, a more 
readv market could be had for the goods. 
But like all quiet revolutions or similar 
changes, the industrial progress of the 
South has made steady headway, until 
to-day it stands as the undoubted rival 
of all other countries in the field of 
manufactures. That this feature of the 
South is unquestionably one of its 
greatest cannot be doubted by the observer 
who has taken note that the South is 
pre-eminently the cotton producer of the 
world. Most of this staple is carried at 
the present time to Liverpool and the 
eastern markets of the United States to 
be there made into goods, many of 
which find their way back to the South 
to supply a demand which is not supplied 
by the mills at home. Thus a large 
freight is paid on one of the largest raw 
materials in the world, besides insurance 
and expense of handling, and then a 
freight is paid on the manufactured 
product. But, while the manufacture of 
cotton commands the most prominent 





Tr-w IS County Scenery. 

attention, there are many other subjects 
of manufacture in the Southern States. 
The iron and numerous other minerals 
have within the past few years drawn 
very great attention to the South, besides 
the vast fields of timber. The manufac- 
ture of leather and woolen goods is also 
entitled to great attention. 

The salubrity of the Southern climate, 
and the healthfulness of most sections 
of the South, and the rapid increase in 
population — there being thus furnished 
a home market for many manufactured 
products — will soon overcome any diffi- 
culties there may have been in the ques- 
tion of labor, and will induce capital to 
enter the South in the field of manufact- 
uring enterprises, 

The following extract from a recent 
article in the Galveston News is the 
best exposition of the many manufactur- 
ing possibilities of Texas that has ever 
been written : 

^eias as a /iRanufacturincj State. 

"The following dispatch speaks for 
itself : 

'"Boston, Mass., March 14. — At a 
hearing before the Labor Com- 
mittee of the Legislature to- 
day, representatives of cotton 
mills at Chicopee, Fall River, 
Lowell and Taunton remon- 
strated against a reduction of 
the hours of labor in manu- 
facturing companies to 54 per 
week, claiming that they can- 
not stand the competition of 
mills in other States and Eng- 
land. The treasurer of the 
Massachusetts Mills at Lowell, 
and Whittendon Mills at 
Taunton, said that he was 
absolutely driven from the 
State, and that he is going 
South to build a mill in order 



Farm Scenery in Travis County. 




ViKWS 

IN Austin. 

. Court House. 
, Driskill 

Hotel. 
, Scene from 
Verauda Dris 
kill Hotel. 
4, Congress Av- 
enue. 



to hold his export trade. His goods, 
he said, can be made much cheaper in 
the South on an identical machine. The 
South is gaining rapidly on the North, 
though he did not believe the South 
would destroy the Northern business.' 

"That is now ; what of the future? One 
does not require the gift of prophecy to 
foretell the future of Texas as a great 
manufacturing State. Texas, with her 
immense territory and her unparalleled 
natural resources, must in time come to 
the front and lead all other portions of 
this continent in numerous productive 
enterprises, particularly those engaged 
in the manufacture of .staples. Why? 
Because she ranks all other sections in 
the extent of her natural resources. She 
now needs capital, enterprise and more 
facilities for transportation. As com- 
petition increases, those who manu- 
facture must avail themselves of ever}- 
natural and acquired advantage they can 
possibly secure. They must save trans- 
portation by getting as near the raw 
material as possible. They must get 
where power is cheap, where operatives 
can b^ fed cheaply the j-ear round, and 
where the climate is such that no time 
will be lost on account of extremes or 
unhealthfulness. Does Texas possess 



these requirements? Let us see. In the 
line of raw materials she has twelve 
counties, averaging 900 square miles in 
size, covered with long leaf pine, and 
eighteen other counties, similar in size, 
covered with other varieties of timber 
suitable for manufacturing purposes. 
She has an inexhaustible supply of iron 
ore, covering thousands of square miles 
and much richer than any other yet 
found in the United States, so much so 
that it is the only iron ore in the United 
States frotn which safe car wheels can 
be made without an admixture of other 
iron. She has whole counties filled 
with granite and 
marble in endless 
varieties. She has 
30,000 square miles 
of w heat region 
proper, and the 
flour made from 
w heat raised in 
Texas will last 
longer when ship- 
ped on the high 




seas than any other made in the United 
States. On account of her mild winters, 
and mesquite grass and "mast" she can 
raise honses, sheep, cattle and hogs, at 
less than one-fourth the expense it costs 
to raise them in the North. Fruits and 
vegetables she can raise in such abun- 
dance and so cheaply that she can afford 
to pay transportation, and ship them to 
the North. Many kinds of vegetables 
that would be required to feed operatives 
she can raise every month in the year. 
Cattle, sheep and hogs almost feed 
themselves during the entire year. She 
has water power enough to run all the 
machinery now in the United States. 
She has thousands of square miles of 
coal beds which only need developing 
more fully, and coking coal within strik- 
ing distances. She has limestone rock, 
cement rock, manganese, plaster of 
paris, potter's clay and many other use- 
ful minerals in endless quantity. She 




Mount Bonnell, L,ake McDonald Austin. 



can raise cotton enough to supply the 
world for centuries to come, and sugar 
and rice enough to supply the entire 
United States. She can raise corn in 
endless quantities at an expense of not 
more than from 15 cents to 25 cents per 
bushel. All field and garden vegetables 
thrive here when properly cultivated. 
Under shelter no time is lost here by 
reason of heat or cold. The mortality 
and sickness of Texas will compare 
favorably with that of any other country 
in the world. With these advantages 
the time is near — to quote from the fore- 
going dispatch, 'when Texas will gain 
rapidly on the North' in the manufact- 
uring line. It is true that Georgia and 
Alabama are now ahead of her as manu- 
facturing States, but that will not alwa3's 
be. Large bodies move slowly, and 
when Texas begins to move she will 
have plenty of room to turn around in 
and immense resources to draw from. 
As soon as these become fully known 
aI)road she will not suffer from want of 
attention. How patriotic and personally 
profita1)le it is then for every citizen to 
lierald these facts abroad." 

The greatest bid that has ever been 
made by any Southern community to 
the manufacturer, is to-day offered by the 
city of Austin by the building of a dam 



in the Colorado River and in the city 
limits. This dam is 1,400 feet long 
and 70 feet high and 60 feet in width at 
the base, and is built of granite and 
cement, and is covered without by a 
very fine quality of Texas granite. By 
the building of this dam, which with its 
attendant water mains, reservoirs, etc., 
will cost 11,400,000, the city obtains water 
power to the amount of 14,000 horse- 
power. 4,000 of this will be used by the 
city for water and light purposes, and 
10,000 horse-power will thus be left for 
manufacturing enterprises. The dispos- 
ition of the citizens is to offer this water 
power at a nominal cost in order to in- 
duce the establishment of manufactures. 
Austin is the great "Cotton Belt" of 
the great Southwest, and it has long 
been the opinion of men acquainted with 
the business that cotton goods could be 
profitably manufactured at this point. 
A large supply of wool and hides is also 
readily obtainable, and the manufacture 
of these products has been generally 
profitable in the South. Austin is about 
200 miles from the Gulf of Mexico, and 
will alwaj's be advantageously situated 
for the trade in manufacturing goods 
with Mexico, and should also share 
largely in the growing trade between 
our country and South America. With 




Pi'.oAN Point, I^akk McDonald, Austin. 



a contiguous country that is fertile and 
rich in farm ])ro(lucts, and near enough 
to deep water to market with readiness 
her manufactured products, with a cli- 
mate very healthful both in winter and 
in summer, Austin will certainly stand 
as the rival of many of her sister cities 
in the South in the stability and rapidity 
of her growth. 

Austin has long enjoyed the distinction 
of being the capital of Texas, the largest 
of the States, and the State has erected 
on a prominent site a granite capitol 
which cost 3,000,000 acres of land. The 
x\cademic and Law Department of the 
State University are also located at 
Austin and this, with its rich endow- 
ments of land will eventually be a lead- 
ing educational institution in the vSouth. 
The State University has vState boiuls to 
the amount of |549,300, and 2,500.000 
acres of land valued at |7, 500, 000. Thus 
to Austin the capital, and leading educa- 
tional center of the State, is attracted 
much of the wealth and refinement of 
other localities. Much of her popula- 
tion has been attracted by the excel- 
lent educational facilities, and when these 
advantages are added to those which 
every community derives from a sur- 
rounding country rich in every natural 
product, and the effort that is being made 
toward the establishment of industrial 
enterprises, it would seem that the cit}' 
offered unusual inducements to the capital 
and labor that is seeking development 
and employmetit in Southern fields. 

This description could hardly be closed 
without some reference to the beauty of 
Austin's natural surroundings. Austin 
was selected as the future capital of 
Texas as long ago as 1839, the commis- 



sioners appointed to select a site having 
made their report on April 13, 1839, in 
which report they stated that the selec- 
tion was made because the country 
possessed health, fine water, stone, coal, 
water-power, etc., in abundance and 
convenient form. Rut in addition to the 
natural advantages they thus suggested, 
it is fair to presume that they were 
largely attracted by the great beauty of 
the country about the site selected. 
Austin is situated where the hills of the 
Colorado cross the river, and the rolling 
prairies and low mountain ranges here 
join to give diversity and picturestjue- 
ness to the landscape. The building of 
the dam has given Austin a lake about 
30 miles in length, and extending that 
distance through .some of the most pict- 
uresque scenery in the South. Large 
bodies of fresh water are rare throughout 
the Southwest, and this lake, with a 
depth in many places of 40 to 50 feet, 
has added much to the natural beauty 
of Austin's surrounding, and is already 
looked upon as the great recreation 
ground for the business and proiessional 
men of the city, and a source of great 
pleasure to those seeking a resort of that 
character. Thus, while Austin holds out 
a willing hand to the manufacturing 
world, she at the same time holds in 
readiness for those who come to develop 
the resources of her country, the rarest 
natural advantages of scenery and cli- 
mate to be had in the South. 

rianchaca— Population 300, engaged in 
farming and stock-raising. Water supplv 
is limestone and abundant. Lumber 
brings about $16 per thousand. Fuel, 
wood $2 per cord ; coal $5 per ton. Has 1 
INIethodist church, and 1 ])ublic school. 




v I.AKK McDonald. Af^ii 




1bai?0 Counts?, ticiae. 



THIS county has an area of 683 square miles. Popula- 
tion, 15,000. General surface of the county is broken, 
and in some places very hilly. The soil on prairie 
lands is very black waxy, while that of the river bottoms 
varies from gray to black loam. Agriculture 
g&s^^St' r % and stock raising are principal occupations. 
'' " " ' ) The county is well watered from the San Mar- 
cos and Blanco Rivers. The San Marcos River 
furnishes sufficient water power for large man- 
ufactures. The International & Great North- 
ern Railroad traverses the western portion of 
the county. The assessed value of all prop- 
. erty in 1894 was |3, 119,900. Improved lands 
sell for flO to $30 per acre, unimproved at from 
to $15 per acre. Average taxable value $4.26 




per acre. Seventy-four mortgages, 
aggregating|276,743, recorded in 1894. 
Count}' rate of taxation is 92 ^■^ cents on 
the $100. There are 658 farms, 502 
farm laborers, receiving average wages 

of $14 per month. Cotton is 50 per cent of total crop, 
corn is 30 per cent; balance is made up in ha}', sorghum, 
oats, potatoes and pecans. There are 181 acres in peaches, 
35 acres in apples, 10 acres in plums, 12 acres in melons, 
112 acres in gardens, and 1,810 grape vines. There are 
7,319 horses and mules, 16,193 cattle, 3,034 sheep, 890 
goats and 3,142 hogs. 

Business — There are 2 National banks, with a capital 
stock of $130,000, and 45 mercantile establishments in 
the county. 

Churches— Methodist, Presbyterian, Cumberland Presby- 
terian, Baptist, Episcopal, Christian and Catholic denomi- 
nations are all represented. 

Schools — There are 46 schools which employ 51 teachers, 
outside of San Marcos, at which point is located the Coronal 
Institute. There are 1,568 acres of school lands in the county. 

principal Uovvns In Ibai^s County, 
on tbe If. Si G. IR. 1R. 1R. 

Buda, population 500, principally engaged in farming and 
stock raising. Lumber sells at from $15 to $18 per 1,000; 
fuel — wood $2.50 per cord, coal $6.50 per ton. The water 
supply is abundant. There is 1 IMethodist, 1 Baptist, 1 Pres- 
byterian and 1 Christian church, and 1 public school. 

Kyle, population 1,000, engaged in agriculture and .stock 
raising, and has 1 cotton seed oil mill. Average price of 
lumber, $18 per 1,000. Fuel— wood $2.75 to $3.00 per cord. 
The water supply is very good. There is a Baptist, 




Views in 
San Marcos. 

1, College. 

2, Methodist Church. 

3, Public .Square. 

4, 5, Sail Marcos 

Homes. 




Oil Mill, San Marcos. 

a Methodist and Episcopal church, 1 public 
school and 1 private school. 

San riarcos, population 3,500. This point 
is the junction of the Missouri, Kansas & 
Texas Railway Branch with the International 
& Great Northern Railroad. Principal in- 
dustries are farming and stock raising ; aver- 
age price of lumber, $18 per 1,000; fu^ — woorl 
|3. 50 to $4 00 per cord, coal 17 per ton ; wati i 
supply — the San Marcos and Blanco Riv 

ers furnish water clear as crystal. There Flour Mill. "7^ 

are 7 churches for white people, 2 for colored ' v- j^ 

and 1 for Mexicans, representing the Catholic, Cumberland Presbyterian, '~^^^ 
Christian, Episcopal, Methodist, Baptist and Presbyterian denominations. "^^ 

The celebrated Coronal Institute, under the auspices of the INIethodist denomi- 
nation, is located at this point. There is also 1 large public school, opera house 
court house, city high school, and a Chautauqua pavillion. 

Industrial Advantages — No point on the International & Great Northern 
Railroad offers greater opportunities for the investment of capital than San INIarcos. 
The water power is ample for cotton mills, flour mills, and every other line of man- 
ufacture, and this power has the advantage of coming from large springs, bursting 
out of the mountains adjoining the city, consequently there is no danger from 
damage by high water, or decrease in the power by reason of low water. The sur- 
rounding country is of such a magnificent character agricultural!)- that it can readily 
support a large increase in the population of the county, and in the manufacturing 
industries of San Marcos. Almost any class of manufacturing business that small, 
as well as large, capitalists would wish to go into would bejustified in selecting this 
point for permanent investment. 

Scenery — San Marcos is beautifull}' located, with scenery of unsurpassed beauty 
in every direction around it. The farming lands are of the richest character, and 
of a rolling nature, giving a most pleasant aspect to the face of the entire country, 
and near by the city, mountains of considerable proportions rise, covered with the 
almost tropical foliage of that section of the country. As a winter resort San 
Marcos, at some near day in the future, will become noted. 

Railro.\d F.A.CIUTIES — San Marcos already possesses excellent railroad facili- 
ties, having a perfect system by the International & Great Northern; it will also 
have other railroad facilities in the near future, connecting it with all the large 
business centers in the country. 

EducaTion.\l Advantages — The advantages San Marcos possesses for large 
educational institutions have been recognized by the Methodist Church. A Chau- 
tauquan Society and other religious denominations are contemplating the erection 
of large educatioTial institutiotis in the m\'ir future. 




1 



Farm Scene. 




Comal Counts?, 



\ REA, 673 square miles; pop- 
ulation, 10,000. The pre- 
vailing character of the 
soil is black, waxy and very 
productive. The Comal and 
Guadalupe Rivers furnish wa- 
ter for all purposes. The Interna- 
tional & Great Northern 
Railroad passes across the 
southern and most pro- 
ductive portion of the 
county. Comal County 
is settled principally by 
thrifty and industrious 
Germans, who are known 
as the best farmers in the State. The assessed 
value of property in 1894 was $2,235,429. County 
rate of taxes, 5.S cents on the flOO. Improved lands sell for f20 to 
|30, and unimproved at from $3 to $15 per acre. Average taxable 
value, |5.11 per acre. There are 14 mortgages amounting to $12,240 
on record ; 536 farms are under cultivation ; 127 persons rent land for 
farming and gardening purposes ; 40 farm laborers receive average 
wages of $13.50 per month. Cotton is 40 per cent of the crop prod- 
uct, corn 30 per cent, the balance is 
made up of oats, wheat, sorghum and hay. 
There are 4,596 horses and mules, 12,180 cat- 
tle, 5,895 sheep and 235 hogs in the county. 
Business — There is 





1 National bank, with cap- 
tal stock of $50,000, 30 mer- 
cantile establishments, 11 
retail dealers, 17 beer dealers, 

2 flour mills and 2 fire-brick 
and tile manufactories. 

Churches— The Catholic, Baptist and Method 
ist denominations are represented by churches. 

vScHOOLS— There are 22 school buildings with 25 [^ 
teachers, and a school population of 1,084; and 
7,268 acres of school lands in the county. 

'Cowns in Comal Countp on tbe 
II. S, (3. 1R. IR. 1R: 

Hunter, population 100, principally engaged in farm- 
ing and cattle raising. Lumber sells for from $18 to $20 
per thousand. Fuel— wood $3 to $4 per cord. 
The water supply is limestone and fairlv 
abundant. There is 1 Baptist church and 1 
])ublic school at Hunter. 

Goodwin, population 50, principally engaged 
in farming. Lumber sells for $18 to $20 per 
thousand. Fuel — wood $2.50 to $3 per cord. 
The water supply is good, and principally 
obtained from wells 40 to 50 feet deep. Several 





Views 

IN 
AND 

Around 

Nkw 

Braunfels. 




Vitus IN Ni:\v Bradnfri.s— 1. 

German Protestant Church. 

•. 2. San Antonio Street, 



denominations have churches 
adjacent to Goodwin. 
There are 2 county public 
schools also near the 
town. 

New Braunf els, popu- 
lation 2,000, principally 
engaged in farming, fruit 
raising and gardening, 
and mercantile and man- 
ufacturing industries. 

New Braunfels is the 
county seat of Comal 
County. There is 1 oil 

mill, 2 flour mills, 2 corn mills, 12 cotton gins, an electric light and power plant. 
Lumber brings 3^15 per thousand. The water supply from the Comal River and 
springs, furnishes the best water to be obtained in Texas. There are 7 churches, 
mostly German. Schools both public and private, German and English. 

Public Buildings — Court house and jail. 

New Braunfels is the natural location for both cotton and woolen factories. The 
cotton product of this section of the State would give cheap cotton for manufact- 
uring purposes, and the great sheep-growing portion of the State is only a short 
distance to the southeast. It also offers fine opportunities for fruit and vegetable 
cultivation. The population being largely German, would naturally make it desir- 
able for Germans in other sections of the ITnited States, as a place for a new home. 
Lands can be bought very cheaply, or rented on easy terms. 




Farm Vikws in Co.mal Coin i v. 



201 




L_ 



Bexar County Court House. 



iBexar Counts?, XTcias. 



HAS an area of I.ISO square miles. 
It was organized in 1837. Popu- 
lation is about 75,000. This county 
ranks second in population in the State, 
and the City of San Antonio is the 
largest city in the State. The county is 
watered by the San Antonio, Medina, 
Cibolo, San Pedro, Alazan, Leon, Zalza- 
mora, Culebra, Medio, Elm, Potranca, 
San Geronimo, Salado, Rosilla, Calaveras 
and Chupaderos Rivers. The railroad 
facilities of the county are excellent, the 
International & Great Northern R. R. 
passing through the county from north- 
east to southwest, and the Southern 
Pacific and San Antonio & Aransas Pass 
Railroads crossing the International & 
Great Northern Railroad at San Antonio, 
and traversing the county in opposite 
directions. The soil is black sandy 




loam, and black waxy, and nearly the 
entire area of the county is well adapted 
to agriculture. Mesquite, elm, oak, 
blackjack and pecan timber are found 
along the water courses. The assessed 
value of property in 1894 was |30,041.848, 
and the county rate of taxation is 61,^2 
cents on the flOO. Improved lands sell 
for from $S to $16 per acre, unimproved 
from $3 to |10 per acre ; average taxable 
value |5.44 per acre. There are 512 
mortgages, amounting to $1,000,505, on 
record. 1,242 farms are under cultiva- 
tion in the county, and 642 persons rent 
farm lands for agricultural purposes. 
369 farm laborers receive average wages 
of $10.50 per month. Cotton is less than 
one -half of the total product of the 
count)', corn slightly over one-third, 
followed by sorghiim, ha}-, potatoes, 
pecans and oats. There are 158 
acres in peaches, 46 acres in plums, 
319 acres in melons, 473 acres in 
gardens, and there are 28,358 
bearing grape vines in the county. 
There are 15,916 horses and mules, 
19,746 cattle, 14,096 sheep, 1,535 
goats and 1,013 hogs. 

Business — There are 5 private 
and 4 national banks in the county, 
with a total capital stock of 
$912,500. There are 617 mercan- 
tile establishments, 9 wholesale 
dealers, 32 retail dealers, 216 beer 



City Hall, San Antonio. 




dealers, 4 flour mills, 8 saw mills, 4 fire 
brick and tile manufactories, and 151 
other manufacturing enterprises. 

CnuRCHKS — The Baptist, Catholic, 
Christian, Methodist, Presbyterian, 
Lutheran, Cumberland Presbyterian, 
Episcopal and Jewish denominations are 
all represented by church organizations. 
In this county are also located the 
famous Missions, the Alamo, Concepcion, 
San Jose, San Juan and San Francisco, 
founded from 17LS to 1771. 

vScnooi.s — Outside of San Antonio the 
county has 43 school buildings and 59 
teachers. 

downs anC> Cities in JGciar County?, 
on tbe IF. c*? 0. 1R. TR. 1R. 

Davenport (Braken Post Office), pop- 
ulation 50, principally engaged in 
farming and stock raising. Water supply 
very good from deep wells. Lumber 
sells for ;fl8 per thousand; fuel wood, 
$2.25 per cord. There are no churches 
in Davenport, but several adjacent. 
There is one public school. 

Citi? ot San Hntonio. 

San Antonio, population 60,000, is 
located in and is the county seat of Bexar 
County, in the southern part of Texas, 
and in the center of what is known as the 



']}!; » * t £f ? f 1 f » I ■ 
1 1 r i f I ji I, 



" health belt." It is in about the same 
latitude as Galveston, New Orleans and 
Jacksonville, Fla., and is farther south 
than any city of its size in the United 
States. As a commercial center it has 
but one rival of importance (Austin, the 
State Capital, 80 miles distant) within a 
radius of 200 miles, and it controls the trade 
of a vast and inoductive territory, nmch of 
which is still undevelo])ed, but gives un- 
doubted ])romise of future greatness and 
prosperity. As the junction of the main 
lines of the International & Great North- 
ern, the Southern Pacific, and the San 
Antonio & Aransas Pass Railways, it is 
abundantly supplied with transportation 
facilities; is easy of access, and enjoys 
close trade relations with the ports of 
Corpus Christi, Aransas Pass, Galveston 
and New Orleans; with the cities of St. 
Louis, Chicago and Kan- sas City, 

and other western cen- ^ftk ters, and 
with the towns of all ^H| central 
and southern Texas ^m and New 




^ lit f^^ 




and Old Mexico. San Antonio is 
beautifully and regularly laid out, with 
broad, well-paved streets and avenues, 
concrete walks, and numerous public 
gardens and plazas. The plazas, indeed, 
are the distinguishing feature of the city, 
for though characteristic of the towns of 
Latin America, there is no other 
city of the Union where there 
are so many of these breathing 
places, or such charming ones 
as are to be found in the 
Mission City. 

The prominent plazas of San 
.\ntonio are the Alamo Plaza, the 
Main Plaza and the Military 
Plaza, as these are in the 

Views in San Antonio. — 1, Mav- 
t-rick Buildingf. 2, San Antonio Nafl 
Hank. 3, Monger Hotel. 



^i= - 'jm^ 



"^.^Hit^^^^l 



203 




business heart of the city, and around 
them are collected the greater portion 
of the retail estal)lishinents, the 
hotels, the city and government 
buildings and other commercial in- 
stitutions. 

The Alamo Plaza is an outgrowth 
of the ancient square of the INIission 
of the Alamo, the old church stand- 
ing on the northeast corner. Around 
the plaza, and fronting on it, are the 
Menger Hotel, the Opera House and 
Club, and the Post Office and United 
States Court House. The center of 
the square has been converted into 
a beautiful garden with fountains, 
banks and beds of flowers which are in bloom the year round, and clumps of 
symmetrical semi-tropical trees, conspicuous among which are the graceful umbrella 
or China-berry trees, with their rich, dark green crowns of dense foliage. These 
trees grow with more luxuriance here in San Antonio than anywhere else, and 
their exceeding grace and beauty attract the attention and admiration of everj' 
one. The Alamo Plaza was the scene of Santa Anna's bloody assault upon the 
devoted followers of Travis and Crockett in the fight and massacre of 1836. 

The Main Plaza, or Plaza de las Yslas, is west of the Alamo Plaza and connected 
with it b}' Commerce and North Alamo streets. This was the former square of 
the pueblo of San Fernando, and the old parish church, now modernized and 
converted into a cathedral, still stands on its western edge. On the south side 
is the magnificent new County Court House, and business houses occupy the 
two other fronts. The central area, like that of the Alamo, is laid out as a hand- 
some park and pleasure ground. 

The Military Plaza — La Plaza de Armas, as the founders of the city christened 
it — is one block west of the Main Plaza, and was, prior to the erection of the New 
City Hall, which now occupies its center, the rendezvous and stamping ground of 
the Mexican contingent of the population. It was on this square that the midnight 
suppers of Chili con carne, hot tamales and tortillas were spread, and the beautiful 
tamale queen reigned supreme over her hungry nocturnal subjects. The.se 
picturesque denizens have been driven, by the 
improvements of civilization, to other haunts, 
but we will find them, later on in all their paper- 
lanterned and peppery glory. 

In addition to these more prominent and, his- 
torically, more interesting plazas, there are 
numerous others scattered through the city, giving 
a most agreeable variety, to what would otherwise 
be the stereotyj)ed block after block of built-up 
squares of the average town. 

The beauty and magnificence of the business 
houses, churches and puljlic edifices of San 
Antonio, are a source of congratulation to her 
citizens and a subject of .surprise and admiration 



to her guests. 
Texas supply ; 
building mate- 
rial — a beautiful 
and durable 
lime.stone, an 
excellent sand- 
stone, and a 

Views in San 
Antonio. — 1, St. 
Mark'.s Kpiscopal 
Church. 2 and 3, 
Street Views. 4, 
One of the bridges 
across San Antonio 
River. 



The ((names 
great variety 



of southwestern 
of unsurpassed 




richly colored granite which takes a 
high polish and is much employed for 
construction purposes. 

The public institutions of the city are 
unique and attractive in design, impos- 
ing in appearance, and reflect great 
credit, both on their architects and on 
the city. Especially is this true of the 
new Federal Building, containing the 
post office and the United States court. 

On the western side of the plaza are 
the Opera Ilon.se and the San Antonio 
Club. The latter is a handome building 
of brick, and is luxuriantly furnished 
and fitted up. 

In addition to the San Antonio Club 
there are many other similar and social 
organizations, including the San Antonio 
Rifles, inaugurated 1)y a company of 
volunteers bearing that name; the 
Casino — an old established (lerman 
Association; the Turners, the Harmony 
Club — an organization of prominent 
Hebrews, and various literary and 
singing societies. The Young Men's 
Christian Association also has ])leasant 
rooms at the corner of Alamo and Com- 
merce streets, with gymnasium and 
reading room, to which everyone is 
welcome. 

The hotel accommodations of the city, 
while not as extensive and luxurious as 
might be desired by some, are, never- 
theless, ample and comfortable. 

The principal street car lines of the 
city start from or run near to the Alamo 
Plaza, the scarlet cars going down 
Houston street to San Pedro avenue 
and thence out to San Pedro Park 
and Springs; the orange cars 
running through the Main and 
Military 
Plazas, past 
the Cathe- 
dral of San 
Fernando, 
the Court 
House, the 
City Hall 
and Milam 
Square, to 
the Inter- 
na t i o n a 1 
& Great 




lV 



completed. 



Northern 
Railroad 
depot; the 
green cars 
to the 
Southern 
Pacific (U- 
pot and till 
Govern - 
ment Post, 

and the red cars to i,,^ .>,i. 
Aransas Pass Railway de])ot 
The city hall, recently 
occupies a commanding and desirable 
location in the center of the Military 
Plaza. In this building are the offices of 
the Mayor, and other city officials, and 
from it are executed the simple but 
effective nninicipal laws which have con- 
tributed so materially to the advance- 
ment of San Antonio. The total revenue 
of the city per year, including licenses, 
sale of bonds, etc., approximates 
$1,000,000, which amount is wisely ex- 
pended for the improvement, sanitation 
and lighting of the city, the sprinkling 
of the streets and the protection of the 
persons and projierty of her citizens. 
The police force is a well -organized and 
uniformed bod}' of men, entirely ade- 
quate for the preservation of order in a 
community naturally law-abiding and 
peaceful. The fire department has 164 
members, 12 paid, the balance volun- 
teers. They are ecpiipped with 2 steam 
fire engines and 5 hose carts, are well 
disciplined, and enjoy an enviable record 
for efficient work. The health of the 
city is unusually good, owing to the 
exceptionally favorable climate, and to 
the rigid enforcement of the health ordi- 
nances by the sani- 
tary corps. A gen- 
eral sewerage 
system is now in 
process of construc- 
tion, which will 
undoubtedly a <1 d 
much to the general 
salubrity. In no 




:|y^: ^JM^^^Sf?- 



SicJ 





r^,-^-5*^ 



recent year has any disease been 
sufficiently prevalent to be considered 
epidemic. 

The new count)' court house, which 
adorns the southern front of the Main 
Plaza, is the latest addition to the list 
of handsome public buildings. 

There are 10 banking houses in San 
Antonio, of which 4 are national banks — 
namely, the San Antonio National, the 
Texas National, the Lockwood National, 
and the Alamo National. Their ag- 

fregate capital and surplus is about 
1,000,000, their aggregate deposits twice 
this sum, their aggregate loans and dis- 
counts a million and a half, and their 
total resources over three millions. 
These figures are, of course, materially 



increased by the amounts invested in, 
and business done by, the private bank- 
ing institutions, and through other than 
regular banking channels. The excel- 
lent financial condition and high credit 
of San Antonio is largely due to the 
conservative business methods of its 
moneyed institutions, and is indicated 
by the fact that its bonds are quoted 



higher than those of any other city in 
the entire South. 

The churches and kindred institutions 
of the Mission City give ample evidence 
of the culture and piety of its citizens. 
As is to be expected of a community in 
which there is such a large proportion of 
the descendants of P^'rance and Spain, 
the followers of the Roman creed largely 
predominate. The churches of this 
faith are, <he Cathedral of San Fernando, 
which fronts on the Main Plaza, St. 
Joseph's, on the north side of East 





Commerce Street; St. Mary's, on St. 
Mary's Street; St. Michael's, on South 
Street, and the Ursuline Chapel, attached 
to the convent of that name, at the 
corner of Augusta and Convent Streets. 
To these may be added the old Missions 
and the chapel at Santa Rosa Hospital. 
The members are of many nationalities, 
and instruction is given at the various 
churches accordingly, viz. : In Spanish 
at the Cathedral, in German at St. 
Joseph's, in English at St. Mary's, and 
in Polish at St. Michael's. The other 
Roman Catholic institutions are, an or- 
phanage, a college for boys, the Ursuline 
Conventual School for girls, and many 





Views in San ,\ntonio— 1, Church of the 
Alamo. 2, Mission Concepciou. 3, Mission 
San Jose. 4, Mission San Juan. 5, Mission San 
Francisco. 



fine parochial schools. San Antonio is 
the seat of a bishopric. 

The Protestant Episcopal Church of 
America is also very strong here, San 
Antonio being the seat of the missionary 
diocese of Western Texas. There are 4 
handsome churches, St. Mark's, on 
Travis Square; St. John's, at North 
Cherry and Burnet Streets; St. Luke's, 
at Zavalla and North Leona Streets, and 
St. Paul's, on Government Hill. The 
Church also maintains St. Mary's Hall, 
a high -class school for girls. 

The Presbyterians have 3 fine church 




churches, there are many private edu- 
cational institutions in San Antonio for 
both vSexes, and of great efficiency; and 
the public schools are models of excel- 
lence. There are 12 public school build- 
ings, with a corps of 75 trained teachers, 
besides 8 ward schools for white, and 
3 for colored children. There is also on 
South Alamo Street, a German -English 
school, an old-established and high- 
class day institution, which is well pat- 
ronized, and has flourished so long as 
to have become one of the landmarks 
of the town. The private residences 
of San Antonio, for 
beauty of design and 
construction, costliness 
and charming surround- 
ings of lawn and foli- 
age, will compare favor- 
ably with those of any 
cit}' in the land ; especi- 
ally is this true of the 
new suburban addi- 
tions, where enormous 
sums have been lav- 
ished in this direction. 
In the cit}' proper, 
choice residence ]irop- 



M buildings — the First Pres- 
r byterian, at Houston and 
North Flores Street the 
Madison Square Church, 
and the Cumberland 
Presbj'terian, on Soledad 
Street. 

The Baptists have 2 
churches — the First Bap- 
tist, on Travis Square, 
and the Alamo Baptist, on 
Nacogdoches and Crock- 
ett Streets — and 3 mis- 
sions. 

The Methodists have 6 places of 
worship — the South Church, on Travis 
Square; the Trinity Methodist, on Ave- 
nue C and Pecan Street; the Crosby 
Street Church, the German Methodist, 
on Villita Street; the Mexican Methodist, 
at Pecan and San F'ernando Streets, and 
the Tenth Street Methodist. 

The Hebrew citizens have a hand- 
some synagogue — Temple Beth -El, on 
Travis Square. 

Many other denominations are repre- 
sented, and there are several colored 
churches. 

Besides the denominational schools 
referred to in connection with the 




erty commands prices ranging from 
11,200 to $4,000 for lots 50x165 feet, and 
in the favorite suburbs lots can be pur- 
chased for from $250 to |500. 

San Antonio's Mexican Citizens — 
In the personality, habits and customs 
of the Mexican contingf^nt of the popu- 
lation of the Mission City, there is much 
to interest and entertain the stranger. 
They are good horsemen, good traders, 
and good citizens generallx — many of 
them holding high official 
positions, and performing 
their duties with credit to 
themselves and the com- 
munity . The poorer 





classes, in their native costumes, are 
extremely picturesque. One meets them 
on the road to the missions, or congre- 
gated in groups on Milam Square — wear- 
ing very broad brimmed sombreros, 
gaudily ornamented with silver braid 
and trimmings, white shirts, light- 
colored breeches, gay sashes about their 
waists, and the inevitable corn husk 
cigarette, and not infrequently accom- 
panied by a diminutive donkey or burro 
loaded almost to invisibility with hay, 
mesquite wood or other commodities of 
barter. They are expert at manufactur- 
ing trinkets, images, feather work, jiigs, 
bottles and idols in clay, baskets, blank- 
ets, saddles and similar articles, and in 
selling these prodiicts of their skill, and 
in vending candy and tamales, they 
have no superiors. 

The suburban plats known as West 
End, Alamo Heights, Lake View, 
East End, Beacon Hill and Southern 
Heights, are all easily accessible by 
electric street car lines, and possess all 
the conveniences of gas, 
water and electricity 

In Riverside 



city, and lying almost adjacent to the old 
Missions of the Concepcion and of San 
Jose, with the Exposition grounds and 
race course directly across the way, it 
seems to have every facility of accessi- 
bility and interest. 

m* S. ^ilitar^ post. 

The location of Post Sam Houston is a 
rolling plateau, about one mile north of 
and overlooking the city. It is reached 
by the green cars starting from the end 
of East Commerce Street, near the Alamo 
Plaza. The reservation covers 162 acres. 
The buildings are tastefully designed, 
and are built around a quadrangular 
plaza, 624 feet square, in the center of 
which is a handsome clock tower, 88 feet 
high, from the summit of which can be 
had a fine view of the city and its en- 
virons. At the Post are stationed a 
Brigadier General, commanding the de- 
partment, and his personal and depart- 
mental staffs, 4 troops of cavalry, 2 
batteries of light artillery, and 6 com- 
panies of infantry. 

The most popular feature of the daily 
routine of post life, especially to visitors, 
are the drills and other military func- 
tions, which occur almost daily, at hours 
varying with the season of the year. 
The guard mount with full band is the 
first event of the day, taking place at 
8:30 A. M., though this hour is some- 
times varied during the intense heat of 
summer. On the last day of each month 
M., occurs the interesting 
monthly muster and 
inspection ; there 
are frequent 
artillery and 
cavalry 
drills. 




Park, San An 
tonio possesses a 
resort and pleas- 
ure ground that, 
with the culti- 
vation and care 
which will un- 
doubtedly be 
given it, should ull 
mately rival in beauty and 
attractiveness the most famous parks 
of the country. Enjoying a charming 
and accessible location, but a short ride 
by electric cars from the center of the 



flDcbina Count\>, Uciae, 



HAS an area of 1,270 square miles, 
and a population of 7,000. The 
International & Great Northern 
Railroad runs across the southeastern 
corner of the county, and the Southern 
Pacific Railway runs throuj^h the county 
from east to west. The only station of 
importance on the International & Great 
Northern Railroad is Devine. The 
general surface of the county is broken 
and mountainous, with many rich and 
fertile valleys on the watercourses. The 
soil varies from sandy to black wa.xy. 
The assessed value of property in 1894 
was $2,776,914. The county rate of tax- 
ation 60 cents on the $100. Improved 
lands l)ring from $8 to $30 per acre; un- 
improved from $2 to $6 ix-r acre. The 
average taxable value $2.40 ])er acre. 
33 mortgages, amounting to $32,368, were 
recorded in 1894. 911 farms are under 
cultivation, and 259 persons rent land 
for farming purposes. 13 farm laborers 
receive an average wage of $13.53 per 
month. The value of the cotton crop 
from last returns was $68,000, corn 



$91,000, oats $7,000, sorghum $5,000, 
and pecans $5,000. There are 6,568 
horses and mules, 25,256 cattle, 8,800 
sheep, 615 goats and 358 hogs in the 
county. 

Business — There are in Medina County 
15 mercantile establishments, 2 whole- 
sale dealers, and 1 fire-brick and tile 
manufactory. 

Churchks— The Catholic, Methodist, 
Baptist and Christian denominations 
have church organizations. 

Schools— There are 30 school build- 
ings, with 35 teachers, and a school 
population of 1,640. 69,301 acres of 
school lands are still for sale in the 
county. 

Devine, in Medina County, on the I. 
& G. N. R. R., has a population of 500, 
principally engaged in farming and 
stock raising. The water supi)ly is free- 
stone. Average price of lumber $15 per 
thousand. Fuel wood, $1.50 to $2 per 
cord. There is a Bapti.st, Methodi.st, 
and Christian church, and 2 public 
schools. 



Htascosa County, 'CTeiae. 



THIS county takes its name from the 
river of the same name, which 
traverses the county from the 
northwest to the southeast. It has a 
population of 8,000. Until recent years 
stock raising engrossed the entire atten- 
tion of the inhabitants, but at the present 
time farms are numerous, and agricul- 
ture is becoming an important industry. 
The soil varies from light sandy to dark 



loam. The general surface of the county 
is level prairie, although there are ranges 
of post oak and other timbers on the up- 
lands and along the river banks. The 
prairies are generally of a dark sandy 
loam, deep and rich. The principal 
streams are Atascosa River, and La 
Gunillas, Turkey, Siestadero, La Parita, 
and Borgeo Creeks. There are several 
lakes, the best known being Pope, the 




Scene in Medina Coi-ntv. 



Youcapin and Borego, The assessed 
value of property in 1894 was f 2, 349, 853. 
The county rate of taxation 25 cents on 
the |100. Improved lands sell for from 
$3 to |10 per acre. Unimproved from 
$1.50 to $5 per acre. There are 23 mort- 
gages on record, amounting to $31,127.59. 
717 farms are under cultivation, and 217 
persons rent land for farming purposes. 
84 farm laborers receive wages averaging 
$11 per month. 71 acres of land are in 
peaches, 34 acres in plums, 8 acres in 
pears, 36 acres in melons, and 80 acres 
in gardens, and 3,100 grape vines are 
planted. There are 7,239 horses and 
mules, 43,572 cattle, 98 jacks and jen- 
nets, 1,871 sheep, 755 goats, and 4,572 
hogs. 



Business — There are 26 mercantile 
establishments, and 1 retail liquor dealer 
in the county. 

Churches— The Catholic, Methodist, 
Baptist and Christian denominations 
have church edifices. 

Schools — There are 31 school houses, 
employing 30 teachers, and a school 
population of 1,458. There still remain 
4,527 acres of school lands for sale. 

Lytle, in Atascosa County, on the I. 
& G. N. R. R., has a population of 100, 
principally engaged in farming, stock 
raising, and coal mining. Water supply 
is good, and obtained from wells. 
Average price of lumber $17 per thousand. 
Wood $1.75 per cord, coal $1 per ton. 
There is 1 church, and 1 public school. 



jfrio Count!?, TLcxa&, 



HAS an area of 1,080 square miles, 
and a population of 5,000. Farm- 
ing and stock raising are the prin- 
cipal occupations. The soil is sandy 
rich loam, the surface being mostly 
prairie. 

Live stock of all kinds thrive well. 
The county is watered by the Frio and 
Leon Rivers and their tribu- 
taries, also several lakes; 
good well water can be se- 
cured at from 20 to 60 feet, 
and artesian wells at 160 feet. 
The International & Great 
Northern Railroad passes 
through the center of the 
county from northeast to 
southwest. The assessed 
value of property in 1894 
was $2,247,011. The county 
rate of taxation 79 ^'a cents on 
the $100. Improved lands 
sell at from $4 to $12 per 
acre ; unimproved at from $2 
to $4 per acre. Average tax- 
able value $2.38 per acre. 
There are 27 mortgages, 
amounting to $111,847, on 
record. There are 280 farms 
under cultivation, and 125 
persons rent land for farming purposes. 
39 farm laborers receive average wages 
of $8.75 per month. Cotton is 60 per 
cent of the product, and corn 30 per 
cent. Fruit raising is not largely carried 
on, there l^eing only 4 acres in peaches, 
1 acre in plums, 1 acre in pears, and 
14 acres in gardens; grapes, however, 
grow well here, and there are 3,844 



grape vines in cultivation. Raising live 
stock is quite an industry, and there are 
3,848 horses and mules, 34,270 cattle, 
8,037 sheep, and 707 hogs in the county. 
Business — The business industries in 
the county are represented by 17 mer- 
cantile establishments, 7 cotton gins, 
and 1 corn mill. 




Hunting Scene in )m;i(> (.oi sin 

Churches — The Baptist, Methodi.st, 
Episcopal, Catholic, Presbj'terian and 
Christian denominations are represented, 
and have good church buildings in the 
county. 

Schools — 22 schools, and 22 teachers, 
and a school population of 704. There 
still remain 10,673 acres of school lands 
in the county. 



G;ovvns tn Jfrio Countv, on tbc 
ir. S. Q. IH. TR. IR. 

Moore has a population of 200, and is 
the location of one of the best conducted 
eating houses on the International & 
Great Northern Railroad. The principal 
industries are farming and stock raising. 
The water supply is good, and obtained 
from deep wells. Fuel wood costs #1.50 
to $1.75 per cord. Lumber brings $18 
per thousand. There is 1 Baptist 
church, 1 Catholic church, and 2 public 
schools. 

Pearsall is the county seat of Frio 
County. Has a population of 1,200, 
principally engaged in farming and stock 
raising. The water suppl}- is freestone, 
and obtained from wells 50 to 100 feet 
deep. Lumber costs $18 per thousand. 
Fuel— wood $2 per cord, coal $2 to $6 
per ton. The Catholic, Methodist, Bap- 



tist, Presbyterian and Episcopal 
denominations have churcl 
edifices in Pearsall. There 
is 1 white and 1 colored 
school. 

Derby has a popula- 
tion of 50, principally 
engaged in stock raising 
and truck farming. The 
water supply is abundant. 
Lumber brings from $18 
to $20 per thou- 
sand. Wood, 
$1.50 to $2 per"^" 
cord. There is 1 public 
school. 

Dilley — Population 50, engaged in stock 
raising and farming. Water supply good, 
from wells 60 to 100 feet deep. Lumlier 
$16 to $20 per 1,000, wood $1 per cord. 
The Baptists and Methodists have 
churches. There is 1 public school. 



Xa Salic Count\>, XTciae. 



AREA 1,512 square miles, and popu- 
lation 3,000. principally engaged in 
stock raising. Farming is followed 
to a very limited extent, although the 
soil and climate are both well adapted, 
the uncertainty of the seasons makes it 
unreliable as a source of profit. It is 
watered in the southern ])art by the 
Nueces River and tributaries, and in the 
northern by the PVio River and tribu- 
taries. The International & Great 
Northern Railroad pas.ses through the 
western portion of the county from north 
to south. The assessed value of propertv 
in 1894 was $1,816,355. The county rate 
of taxation 55 cents on the $100. Im- 
proved lands sell at from $5 to $10 per 
acre; unimproved $1 to $3 per acre. 
Average taxable value $1.54 per acre. 
There are 16 mortgages on record, 
amounting to $124,000. 16 farms under 
cultivation, and average farm wages paid 
for laborers is $12 per month. The prin- 
cipal product is corn. There are 2,737 




horses and mules. 22.909 cattle. 22,400 
sheep, 2,040 goats, and 115 hogs in the 
county. 

BrsiNKSS — The business industries are 
represented by 15 mercantile cstalilish- 
ments. 3 retail dealers, and 2 beer dealers. 

Churches — The Catholic, Episcopal, 
INIethodist, Baptist, Presbyterian and 
Cumberland Presbyterian denominations 
have church edifices. 

Schools — There are 5 school buildings 
and 9 school teachers, and a school 
population of 562. School lands remain- 
ing unsold, 27,360 acres. 

Q;o\vn£i in Xa Salic Countw on tbe 
11. JJ G. 1H. IR. IR.' 

Millett— Population 25, principally en- 
gaged in farming and stock raising. 
Water supply ol)tained from deep wells 
Lumber $18" per 1,000. Wood 50 cents 
per cord. 1 public school. 

Cotulla, the county seat, has a popula- 
tion of 1,200. engaged in stock and sheep 
raising. Water 
supjily obtained 
from Nueces 
River, and for 
drinking pur- 
poses from cis- 
terns. Lumber 
520 per 1.000. 
Wood $1.50 cord 
There is a Bap- 
tist, Methodist, 
Presbyterian and 
Catholic church. 
1 public school. 



Scene in Cotulla. 



XlSQcbb County, XTeiae. 

HAS an area of 1,552 square miles, 
and a population of 18,000. Webb 
County borders the Republic of 
Mexico, being on the Rio Grande River. 
The general surface of the county is 
rolling prairie. The soil is a mellow 
loam, mostly requiring irrigation to be 
properly cultivated. Stock raising is 
the principal industry. Live stock re- 
quires but little feed during the entire 
year. The International & Great North- 
ern Railroad runs through the center of 
the county, terminating at Laredo on 
the Mexican border. This county is not 
timbered, although there are scattering 
growths of mesquite trees in various 
portions of it. 

Coal Minks — The San Tomas Coal 
Mines, just above Laredo, employ 160 
miners, and the output is over 100 tons 
per day. This production could be very 
largely increased. The assessed value 
of property in 1894 was 13,429,400. The 
county rate of taxation is 70 cents on the 
$100. Improved lands sell for from $5 
to flO per acre; unimproved from $1 to 
$3 per acre. Average taxable value 85 
cents per acre. There are 45 mortgages, 
amounting to $285,365, on record. There 
are 119 farms in the county, and 23 per- 
sons rent land for farming purposes ; 231 
farm laborers receive average wages of 
$10 per month . The value of the crops for 
1894 was: corn, $38,000; beans, 
$5,500; onions, $2,400. Horti- 
culture is the natural indus- 
try of Webb County, and 
grapes can be produced 
here almost equal to those 
produced in any other 
section of the world. 
There are 200,000 pro- 
ducing grape vines now 
planted, and a great 
many more are being 






Views in Laredo. 

1, Market House 
Square. 

2, Military Plaza, 
Nuevo Laredo. 

3, Mexican Jacal. 

4, Bridge Across the 
■ Rio {".rande. 



put in every year. The cultivation of 
grapes will eventually be carried on to a 
great extent in this section of Texas. 

Live-stock — The raising of live-stock 
is very successful and remunerative, 
particularly sheep ; the last returns show 
3,256 horses and mules, 16,180 cattle, 
75,450 sheep, 23,200 goats and 10 hogs 
in the county. 

Business — There is 1 private bank 
and 1 national bank in the county, with 
a total capital stock of $100,000; 98 
mercantile establishments, 1 wholesale 
dealer, 2 ice factories, and an irrigation 
canal with capacity of watering 500 acres 
of land. 

Churches — The Presbjterian, Epis- 
copal, Methodist, Baptist and Catholic 
denominations have church organiza- 
tions. 

Schools — Outside of Laredo, there are 
8 school buildings with 8 teachers, and a 
total school population of 1,165; 97,600 
acres of school lands still remain unsold. 

Tlowns in Mcbb Counti^ on tbe 
H. d G. 1R. 1R. 1R. 

Laredo, population 12,000, prin- 
cipally engaged in grape culture, 
fruit raising and gardening, coal 
mining and brick and tile manu- 
facturing. Lumber is worth $15 
to $16 per thousand. The water, 
supply is ample ai^d obtained 
from the Rio Grande River. Fuel 
— wood $3 per cord; coal, home 
roduction, $1 to $2 per ton; ini- 
)rted, $4 to $6 per ton. 
ruiu.ic BniLi'iNCS — County 
court house, 
cit}- hall, opera 
house, market 
house and cus- 
tom house. 
Churches — 

1 Presbvterian, 

2 Methodist, 1 
Catholic, 1 
Kpiscopal, and 
1 Baptist. 

Schools — 6 
city public 



schools, 2 pri- 
vate schools, and 
1 Methodist seminary. 
Laredo is the farthest south of an)' 
point of importance in the United States. 
The high temperature and light rainfall, 
make it a good climate for asthmatic suf- 
ferers. New Laredo, Mexico, opposite 
Laredo, is a town of 6,000. The two 
cities being connected by bridge and 
street car lines. Both cities have elec- 
tric light and water works systems. 
Laredo is 160 miles from the Gulf, and 
490 feet above the sea level. 

The Mexican National Railway ex- 
tends from Laredo to the City of INIexico. 
It is at present a nar- 
row guage line, but 
it is the inten- 
tion at some 
time in the 
early future 
to widen the 




guage so as 
to make it a 
liroad guage 
short line from 
all points east to 
ilu- City of Mexico, 
as well as to the Mexi- 
can .seaport of Tampico. It connects 
with the line for Tampico at Monterey. 
The business relations between the 
United States and Mexico are becoming 
ver}' close, and the trade with 
the Mexican country is steadih- 
increasing, and with a broad 
guage short line from Laredo to 
all points in the Republic of 
Mexico, this city should l)ecome 
a large commercial point in 
South Texas. 

The territory for many miles 
in every direction from Laredo 
is particularly adapted to sheep 
raising, and the manufacture of 
woolen goods could be very 
profitably engaged in at this 
point, as the raw material could 
be bought cheaper than possibly 
at anv t)ther point in the United 
States. 



/asfr «»■■.! ^»"'"'' 

-3-^ ],abor for 

agricultural and other 
purposes is very cheap, and 
in con.sequence great increases are 
being made in grape culture, and pro- 
ducing grapes for the purpose of wine- 
making and shipment to Northern mar- 
kets. The grapes raised in this section 
of Texas are considered superior to those 
produced in California, having a much 
richer flavor, and begin to ripen as early 




as the middle of M-iy, six wcik,-. l>clurc 
the California crop is available. 

The Mexican National Machine Shops, 
the largest west of the Mississippi River, 
are located at Laredo. Almost all of the 
ores produced in the Mexican mines that 
enter the United States come through 
this port of entry, and the coal mines 
located at Laredo furnish an excellent 
(juality of cannel coal, which is shipped 
to the surrounding country. Krick man- 
ufacturing is large!}' carried on, and 
the output -caches from $12,000,000 to 
$15,000,000 per year. 

The citizens of Laredo are always ready 
to assist any movement to develop their 
industries and extend their commerce 
and trade, and her suburbs are now the 
scenes of active and bustling industries. 



Views in Larkdo- 1. Mexican Water 
Cart. 2, River Front. 3, Mexican Candy 
Venders. 4, Fourth of July at Laredo. 




213 




Cllf Coast Scenery. 

1, Jetties, Aransas Pass. 3, Big Bayou. 

2, U, vS. Lighthouse, Harbor Island. 4. L,ive Oak Point. 



ADDENDA. 



THe leXftS GULF COAST. 



H XnintCr H^OtUC. — The especial purpose of this sketch is to make 
known the advantages of the Gulf Coast as a winter home for those in 
search of a surcease from the Northern winter ; for a climate that will 
greatly- benefit those suffering from bronchial, nasal or lung troubles, and 
lastly, but not least, those in search of the greatest of all piscatorial 
sports — Tarpon Fishing. 

As the matter of health is paramount in all things, the climate of 
this section will be first considered, and, as the opinion of a physician 
who has studied it, for the purpose of deciding its merits for his own 
patients, will have greater value than anything else that can be said, 
below is given a letter from Dr. Edw. Cross, a prominent physician of 
San Antonio, Texas: 

San Antonio, Texas, October 17, 1893. 

"I take pleasure in responding to j^our inquiries just received, as 
to ni}' professional opinion and the result of my experience of the land- 
locked bay coast in and around j-our city. I do so with great pleasure 
and confidence, as I myself came an invalid to 3"our coast and was so 
greatly benefited that I hope others may (as many of my patients have) 
in the future be led to profit from vour ozone -laden breezes. I certainly 
regard the portion of the Gulf coast around your city as peculiarly 
adapted for a Winter Resort for manj'^ classes of diseases, and especially 
incipient phthisis or tuberculosis proper, and ner\-ous and chronic 
catarrhal troubles ; differing as it does in so manj' respects from the coast 
resorts below New Orleans, viz.. Bay St. Louis, Biloxi, Pass Christian, 
and those on the east coast of Florida, at nearly all of which places I 
have sought a winter's rest. Taking Pass Christian as the typical South 
Mississippi and Louisiana winter resort, the difference is seen at a glance. 
At Rockport you have high. dr\' rolling prairies extending hundreds of 
miles back in the interior of the State and directly to the peninsula on 
which you are located, while at all other resorts of the Southern coast 
great salt marshes surround and encompass for many miles. 

You have what is so much needed for all cases of incipient phthisis; 
a climate more balmy than Aiken, S. C, and almost as dry; and it is a 
well-known fact that active, advancing tuberculosis is most benefited by 
a sedative, moist, warm climate. Indeed, your coast can boast not only 
of a sedative clime, but, according to the report made by the United 

215 



States coast survey officers in their survey, the air contains a larger 
percentage of ozone, bromine and iodine than any other in the United 
States. 

My own selected cases have always done well here. Safely and 
with confidence can those who have been sufferers from the sequence of 
la grippe seek this Southwest Texas coast. 

The effect on many of these is magical. The soft, balmy, ozone - 
laden air, with fish and oyster diet, certainly exerts a most soothing and 
beneficial influence, and most honestly can I recommend it as the ideal 
Winter Health Resort of the South. Edw. Cross, M. D." 

R {pleasure IReSOrt.— Besides the advantages stated by Dr. Cross, 
the uniformly even temperature, prevailing southeast winds, elevated 
location, freeness from swamp and marsh, southern location beyond the 
harm of north winds, and recreation afforded by hunting and fishing, 
make this section one greatly to be desired by the health and pleasure 
seeker. The town of Rockport is clean, the streets are of shell, no dust, 
no foul standing water to cause fevers or malarial complaints. 

ITeinperature.— From 

indications taken, six 

times each twenty -four 

hours, the past three 

years, by Capt. Stracken, 

the wharf master, at 6 A. 

M., 12 M., 3 P. M., 6 p. M., 

12 p. M. and 3 A. M., the 

following averages have 

been arrived at : Winter 

months, thermometer 57 , 

barometer 3U.70; spring 

months, thermometer 77°, 

l)arometer 30.00; summer 

months, thermometer 86°, barometer 29.90; 

fall months, thermometer 60 ', barometer 

30.50. This gives more correct averages than 

could be arrived at from the signal service 

reports, as their indications are taken only 

three times in twenty -four hours. 

This section has no rainy season, but 
rains average well throughout the year with a 




/^ usees -y/viT/f . 





GuLK Coast Scenery. 
216 



possible excess during June and July. Water never stays but a few 
minutes on the surface, no matter how hard the pour, but sinks 
throug^h the porous soil and is retained on the clay subsoil. 

IbuntinCI an^ JfiSbina.— The bays are alive with all the best 
species of sea fish, including Spanish mackerel, i)om])ano, red fish, 
trout, sea bass, June fish, etc., and are the winter homes for untold 
inunbers of geese, brant and canvas back, red head and mallard duck, 
many thousands of which are killed every season by .sportsmen and 
market hunters. 

Rod and reel fishing is an indication that times are changed now, 
and the man with the new fangled notions is in the lead ; the man with 
the rod and reel is coming to the front, and a man is not considered a 
dude because he carries a jointed rod instead of a cane pole. The 
greatest attraction to a .sportsman is the opportunity for quick action. 
No matter how fine the fish, nor how large the quantity of "snake 
bite," a sportsman wants fish to be plentiful, to be hungry, and have a 
disposition to make work for the man with the reel. This attraction 
Aransas Pass supplies beyond the dream of any tarpon fisherman who 
has never been there and tested it. The supplj^ is practically unlimited, 
they play and feed by hundreds. A thousand of them out of the water at 
once have many times been seen. This might seem an extravagant state- 
ment to some, and to others, who have never fished for them except in 
Florida, a colossal fish tale, yet it is the truth, the whole truth, and 
nothing but the truth This state- 
ment can be verified by Judge W. 
W. King, district judge; Mr. T. H. 
Micklejohn, Hon. A. \V. Houston, 
general attorney S. A. &A. P. R'y; 
Senator P. J. Lewis, Judge Br^an 
Callaghan, Ca])t. Phil. Sharedin, and 
others who live in San Antonio, and 
who form a coterie of sportsmen who 
first introduced reel fishing here. 
Gentlemen who have been in the 
ha])it of s])ending their winters in 
Florida in search of this fish, will 
hardly credit the story, but it can be 
substantiated by one trial. During 
the spring months these fish go all 
over Aransas and adjoining baj'S 
and can be seen everywhere. Several 
have been hooked by parties fishing 
off the Rockport wharf and at other 
points along the shore in the town. 

^be Xiarpon, or Silver King, 
as he is sometimes called, is the 
gamest of all the denizens of the sea. 
Not considered as a food, he is 
caught solely for the sport, and to 
say it is sport to hook one is drawing 
it mildly. From the instant he 




i2l7 



A Day's kbsolts. 



seizes the bait, like a bull charging a Toreador, to the last dying flap of 
his tail, he makes work and worry for his captor. With my first fish I 
felt very much like the man who had the bull by the horns; I had 
him, but the question was, what was I going to do with him. I didn't 
want to lose a fine new line, neither did I care about being pulled into 
forty feet of water, and I was in a predicament to be sure. I had not 
at that time learned that coolness and alertness necessary to be up to 
everj^ trick of Mr. Tarpon, and I will freely confess if there had been 
a way to make a truce it would have been made at once. But luck 
was with me that day, and after many a discouraging tangle and twist 
I got him out and I was the proudest creature on Mustang Island 
that da3^ To describe the action of a six-footer, or even his younger 
or weaker brothers, is too much for my remembrance, and it will have 
to be left to the imagination of those who haven't fit, bled and died in 
desperate encounter. 

During action you haven't time to think of what takes place, but 
after 3'ou conquer (which isn't every time) you feel like a winning 
knight of 3'e ancient time. The eye flashes with a kindling glance, every 
nerve and fibre has awaked to its fullest dut}^ every muscle to its best 
defense. Such is in part the man who has caught and landed the king 
of fish after many a death struggle, and many a hard defeat. 

The home of the tarpon is to be found in Aransas Pass, which we 
will first describe. The Pass is the channel between St. Joseph and 
Mustang Islands, connecting the waters of the gulf with those of Aransas 
Bay. It is about a half mile long, sixteen hundred feet wide, and from 
thirty to forty -five feet deep. 

The tides and winds cause strong inward or outward currents to 
prevail at all times, and in these seething waters the tarpon makes his 
home, his feeding and play ground, and is to be found all the year 
round. Here they spawn early in June, the young fish seeking the 
shallow grassy flats in the bay, where thej^ remain until of sufficient size 
to keep out of way of the big fish. In the month of July, while fishing 
for trout, tarpon have been caught from four to six inches long, and 
again in September, from eight to ten inches long. 

The action of the young ones when caught is the same as the grown 
ones, and it is an amusing sight to see them vainly striving to get 
unhooked. Only within the last two years have Isaak Waltons been 
attracted to fishing for them with rod and reel ; before that time the old 
salts would make much sport of a "greeny" who tried'such an experi- 
ment. 

They occasionally caught them for the fun of being pulled around 
in a skiff, with a line big enough to rope a cow, and it was with much 
contempt they viewed the efforts of the first reel fishermen with "them 
minner poles." 

®tbcr ifiSb. — Of the many good fish in the sea, the principal ones 
caught here are the trout, red fish, bass and Spanish mackerel, which 
take live or cut bait either by still or troll fishing ; the sheepshead takes 
only a soft bait, such as conch or oyster; the pike only a spoon troll; 
the croaker only cut bait ; these fish can be found in any of the passes 
and bays, or along the shore in grassy places. 

Shell Ranks, Big Bayou, Old Aransas Wharf, "The Rocks," Long 
Reef, and "Old Jetty," are all favorite places for their capture. The 

318 



June or jew fish very much resembles the fresh water bass of Southern 
waters, being short with a big head, of a yellow and black pied color. 
They grow to immense size, one having recently been caught weighing 
six hundred and forty pounds. They are of very fine flavor, regardless 
of size, and are considered a great delicacy. They are skinned and the 
meat is cut up in steaks and fried. 

OVCCn XlurtlC. — Green Sea Turtles are shipped in large quantities, 
the markets in New York and Chicago taking the bulk of them. 
Diamond -BACK Terrapins are also shipped to the Eastern market, 
several hatcheries are located here which contain hundreds of all sizes. 




from that of a dime to a full grown one ; in this connection it is well to 
state that the only Green Sea Turtle canning factory in the United States 
is located at Fulton, two miles from Rockjwrt. 

IbOtClS. — Rockport affords two very good hotels, having accommo- 
dations for about four hundred guests — the "Aransas," situated in town, 
and "The Shell," situated two miles from town in a grove of immense 
live oak trees. Boats and bath houses are connected with both hotels, 
and communication is had by a naphtha launch and hacks. Besides the 
hotels, there are four two -room and two six -room cottages on Shell 
hotel grounds, which are rented to private parties. 



219 



41- I N D e: X . -t^ 



RAILROADS. 

PAGE. 

The Iron Mountain Route 3-14 

The Texas & Pacific Railway 22-26 

The Cotton Belt Route 95-98 

The International & Great Northern Railroad 141-145 

COUNTIEvS. 



PAGE. 

Anderson 156, 157 

Angelina 122, 123 

Atascosa 209 

Bexar 202-208 

Bowie - • 27-29 

Brazoria 179,180 

Callahan 75, 76 

Camp 114, 115 

Cass 41 

Cherokee 119-121,153-155 

Collin 111-113 

Comal 200.201 

Coryell 139, 140 

Dallas 52-57 

Denton 39,40 

Eastland 73, 74 

Ector 83-86 

El Paso 92-94 

Erath 70,71 

Fannin 34, 35 

Fort Bend 159 

Franklin 103,104 

Frio 210 

Galveston 170-178 

Grayson 36-38 

Gregg 146, 147 

Harris 164-169 

Harri-son 44, 45 

Hays 198, 199 

Henderson 124, 125 

Hill 129-132 

Hopkins 105,106 

Houston 158 

Howard 82 

Hunt 107-110 

Kauffman 50,51 



Lamar 32, 33 

La Salle 211 

Leon 181 

Loving 87-91 

Marion 42,43 

Martin 83-86 

Medina 209 

Midland 83-86 

Milam 184,185 

Mitchell 80, 81 

Montgomery 162, 163 

Morris 99,100 

McLennan 133-138 

Navarro 126-128 

Nolan 79 

Palo Pinto 68,69 

Parker 65-67 

Pecos 87-91 

Red River 30,31 

Reeves 87-91 

Robertson 182, 183 

Rusk 148 

Smith 116-118,150-152 

Stephens 72 

Tarrant ... 58-64 

Tavlor 77,78 

Titus 101, 102 

Travis 190-197 

Trinity 159 

Upshur 46, 47 

Van Zandt 49 

Walker 160-161 

Ward 87-91 

Webb 212,213 

Williamson 186-189 

Winkler 83-86 

Wood 48,149 



380 



INDEX. 



TOWNS. 



PAGE. 

Abbott 130 

Abilene 78 

Alexander 70 

Allen 113 

Almeda 169 

Alto 1^1, 155 

Anna 113 

Anona 31 

Aquilla 130 

Areola 159 

Argyle 40 

Arlinstou 58 

Athens 125 

Atlanta 41 

Austin 191-197 

.Avinger 41 

Bagwell 31 

Baird 75 

Barstow 90 

Belle Plain 75 

Bells 37 

Bettie 47 

Big Sandy 47 

Big Spring 82 

Birdville 58 

Bivens 41 

Black Jack Grove 106 

Blooming Grove 128 

Blossom 32, 33 

Blue Ridge 113 

Bluff Dale 70 

Blum 130 

Bolivar '. . . 40 

Bonham 35 

Brazoria 180 

Breckenridge 72 

Brookston 32, 33 

Brownsboro 125 

Bruceville 138 

Bryan's Mills 41 

Buda 198 

Buffalo 181 

Buffalo Gap 78 

Bullard 118, 152 

Caddo 72 

Caddo Mills 110 

Callowav 47 

Campbell 110 

Canton 49 

Carroll 118, 152 

Carroll's Prairie 106 

Carrollton 53 

Cason 99 

Cedar Hill 53 

Cedar Mills 37 

Celeste 110 



PAGE. 

Chalk Mountain 70 

Chalybeate Springs . . . . 48, 149 

Chatfield 128 

Chenango 180 

Chicota 32, 33 

China Springs 138 

Cisco 73, 74 

Clarksville 31 

Coffeeville 47 

Collinsville 37 

Colorado SO 

Columbia 180 

Commerce 110 

Conroe 162 

Coperas Cove 140 

Corsicana 128 

Coryell 140 

Cottonwood 75 

Cotulla 211 

Crandall 51 

Crawford 138 

Crockett 158 

Cross Plains 75 

Cusseta 41 

Daingerfield 99 

Dalby Springs 29 

Dallas 53-57 

Davenport 203 

Dawson 128 

De Kalb 29 

Delta 35 

Denison 37, 38 

Denton 40 

Deport 32, 33 

Derby 211 

Desdimonia 74 

Detroit 31 

Devine 209 

Dickinson 177 

Dido 58 

Dilley 211 

Dodd City 35 

Dodge 160 

Douglassville 41 

Douro 86 

Dresden 128 

Dublin 70 

Duffau 70 

Duval 191 

Eagle Springs 140 

Easterly 183 

Eastland 74 

Eddy 91 

Edgewood 49 

Edom 49 

Elkhart 157 



221 



INDEX. 
TOWNS— Continued. 



PAGE. 

Elliott 183 

Elm Mott 138 

Elmo 51 

El Paso 94 

Elysian Fields 45 

Evant 140 

Farmer's Branch 53 

Farmersville 113 

Fincastle 125 

Forney 51 

Fort Graham 130 

Fort Worth 58-64 

Franklin 183 

Fruitland 118, 152 

Galveston 170-176 

Garland 53 

Gatesville 140 

Gause 185 

Genoa 169 

Gent 121, 155 

Georgetown 188 

Gilmer 47 

Goodwin 200 

Gordon 69 

Gordonville 37 

Goshen 125 

Grand Praiiie 53 

Grand .Saline 49 

Grapeland 158 

Grapevine 58 

Gray Rock 103 

Greenville 109 

Gunsight 72 

Halesborough 31 

Hallville 45 

Handley 58 

Harrisburg 169 

Hawkins 48, 149 

Plearne 183 

Henderson 148 

Hillsl)oro 129 

Homer 123 

Honey Grove 35 

Houston 165-169 

Howe 37 

Hubbard City ■. . . 130 

Hughes Springs 41 

Hunter 200 

Huntsville 160 

Hutchins 53 

Hutto 188 

Itaska 130 

Jacksonville 121, 155 

Jefferson 42, 43 

Jewell 74 



PAGE. 

Jewett 181 

Jonesboro 140 

Jonesville 45 

Kaufman 51 

Kellyville 43 

Kemp 51 

Kerens 128 

Kildare 41 

Kilgore 147 

Kingston 110 

Kyle 198 

Ladonia 35 

La Fayette 47 

Lake 183 

La Marque 171 

Lancaster 53 

Laredo 212 

Larissa 121, 155 

Lasater 43 

Lawndale 51 

Lawrence 51 

League 171 

Lebanon 113 

Leesburg 114 

Leonard 35 

Lewisville 40 

Lindale 118, 152 

Linden 41 

Little Elm 40 

Lodi 43 

Lone Oak 110 

Longview 147 

Lovelady 158 

Lufkin 123 

Lytle 210 

Malakoff 125 

Manchaca 197 

Mansfield 58 

Marquez 181 

Marshall 45 

Melissa 113 

Mentone 91 

Merit 110 

Merkel 78 

Mesquite 53 

Midland 85 

Milano 185 

Millett 211 

Mineola 48, 149 

Mineral Wells 69 

Moody 138 

Moore 211 

Mount Calm 130 

Mount Pleasant 102 

Mount Sylvan 118, 152 

Mount Vernon 103 



222 



INDEX. 
TOWNS— Continued. 



PAGE. 

McGregor 138 

McKinney 112 

McNeil 188 

Naples 99, 100 

Neches 157 

Nevada 113 

New Badeii 183 

New Birmingham 121, 155 

New Boston 29 

New Braunfels 201 

Oak Cliff 53 

Oakwoods 181 

Odessa 85 

Omaha 99, 100 

Omen 118, 152 

Overton 148 

Palestine 157 

Palo Pinto 69 

Paris 32, 33 

Pattonville 32 

Pearsall 211 

Pecos City 90 

Peoria 130 

Petty 32 

Phelps 160 

Phillips' Spring 46 

Pilot Grove 37 

Pilot Point 40 

Pine Valley 160 

Pittsburg 114 

Piano 113 

Pottsboro 37 

Prairieville 51 

Purley 103 

Pursley 128 

Putnam 75 

Queen City 41 

Quitman 48, 149 

Ranger 74 

Ravenna 35 

Redwater 29 

Riverside 160 

Roanoke 40 

Rockdale 185 

Roscoe 79 

Roswell 91 

Round Rock 188 

Roxton 32, 33 

Rusk 120, 154 

San Antonio 203, 208 

Sandy Point 180 



PAGE. 

San Klizario 94 

San Marcos 199 

Santa Lucia 91 

Savoy 35 

Sherman 37, 38 

Simpsonville 47 

Spring 165 

Springtown 67 

Stanton 84 

Starville 118, 152 

Stephenville 70 

Strawn 69 

Sulphur Bluff 106 

Sulphur Springs 106 

Swan 118, 152 

Sweetwater 79 

Tavlor 187 

Terrell 51 

Texarkana 29 

The Grove 140 

Thorndale 185 

Thurber 69, 70 

Toyahvale 91 

Trenton 35 

Trinitv 159 

Troupe 118, 152 

Tucker 157 

Turnerville 140 

Tyler 116, 118, 152 

Valley Creek 35 

Van Alstvne 37 

Velasco ' 180 

Waco 134, 138 

Waskom 45 

Waverly 160 

Weatherford 67 

Webster 169 

West Dallas 53 

Western 113 

White Rock 110 

Whitesboro 37 

Whitewriglit 37 

Whitnev 130 

Whitt 67 

Willis 162 

Wills Point 49 

Winnsborough 48, 149 

Winona 118, 152 

Wolfe City .110 

Woodlawn 31 

Woodworth's Mill 41 

Wylie 113 

Ysleta 94 



223 



INDEX. 



GENERAL INFORMATION. 



PAGR. 

Agricultural Products IS 

Apiaries (Bee Culture) IS 

Artesian Wells IS 

Area 15, 17 

Building Stones IS 

Cement 19 

Climate 16, 19 

Coal 19 

Copper 19 

Cotton Factories 19 

Elducational Facilities 17 

Fire Brick and Pottery Clay .... 19 

Fish 20 

Foundries 20 

Game 20 

Gold 20 

Guano 20 

Gypsum 20 

Hired Help 20 

Historical 15 



PAGE. 

Iron Ore 20 

Kaolin 20 

Lead 20 

Lime Kilns 20 

Linseed Oil 20 

Mineral Waters 20 

Natural Gas 21 

Petroleum 21 

Penitentiaries 21 

Pineries 21 

Population 16 

Public Buildings 21 

Railroads 21 

Rainfall 21 

Resources , 17 

Salt 21 

Silver Ore 21 

Sugar 21 

Tobacco 21 



Addenda. 



The Tex.\s Gur.F Coast .... 214-219 

As a Winter Home 215 

As a Pleasure Resort 216 

Hotels 219 



Hunting and Fishing 217 

Tarpon Fishing 217 

Temperature 216 

Turtle Trade 219 



MAPS. 



Missouri Pacific System and Iron Mountain Route 13 

Texas & Pacific Railway 22, 23 

Cotton Belt Route 95, 98 

International ik. Great Northern Railroad 141, 143, 144 



224 




C 235 m 




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